Monsters
by acclutch94
Summary: Matt and C.J. take a new case helping two radio djs discover who is harassing them and killing innocent victims tied to their show at the same time Roy Turner gets released from prison.  Just borrowing characters. Please note the rating.
1. Chapter 1

1

**Last Year...**

As Matt entered the penthouse from the elevator, Chris got up with a stack of papers for him to sign and smiled when she said, "Welcome back! These are the only two Murray gave me yesterday that he said had to be signed today."

Matt asked her, "Thank you, its good to be back. Where's C.J.?"

Chris looked back toward C.J.'s office and told him softly, "She's in her office and she's still sick."

Matt looked back at Chris concerned after signing that second form and said, "Still? I left for London two weeks ago and told her she needed to see a doctor then. Didn't she take off that day?"

Chris shook her head, "No, she said it was just the flu and they probably wouldn't be able to do much about it anyway. Said she was really busy wrapping up something from that Roy Turner case from Lake Etah and couldn't let F. Lee Bailey down. She did leave, but it was to go to the courthouse."

Matt looked confused, "Roy Turner?" Then he remembered, "Oh yeah, the first parole hearing...she's working with Bailey on that psychological evaluation recommendation." He looked back toward her office where he could hear her coughing all the way into the lobby. He patted Chris on the shoulder and said, "Thanks, I'll check in on her".

He walked into the penthouse and over to the bar where he found two glasses and poured both of them a glass of orange juice. As her best friend, he planned to take this and simply offer it to her before looking her over with his keen eye, evaluating whether or not he was going to push the issue of her going to the doctor.

C.J. had fallen asleep at her desk. This flu was one of the worst she had ever had. Her nose was stuffy and running at the same time, she felt like she couldn't warm up even though she had two sweaters on until about 5 minutes later when she felt like she was sweating to death until about 5 minutes after that when she was freezing again, her throat and chest were both killing her and she couldn't stomach anything. Just the thought of eating anything sent her into a bout of nausea and/or vomiting that was simply torture.

She laid her head down after eating yet another cough drop and chasing it down with over the counter cold medications that seemed to do more harm than good. How much weight she had lost, she didn't know, but in the last two weeks, her clothes seemed to have ballooned.

That was how Matt found her, sitting at her desk with her arms folded on it and her head lying on top of them. She was holding a tissue in one hand and a cough drop wrapper in the other. Matt narrowed his eyes as he walked in and sat both glasses on her desk. He took one hand and brushed back the hair from her forehead and noticed her skin not only felt warm, but downright hot and beads of sweat had damped the brunette locks. He gently shook her shoulder to wake her up and she slowly opened her eyes to see him, kneeling down beside her, clearly worried.

"C.J., hey there. I thought you were going to see a doctor about this nasty cold," he said as she started to sit up, blinking her eyes.

She took her tissue, wiped her nose and tucked her hair behind her ear as she tried to make herself presentable and said, "I'm sorry, I can't believe I fell asleep on the job." Matt heard the words, but they didn't sound like they were coming from C.J. as she was so stuffed up and hoarse.

Matt looked her over good, he noticed the weight loss and how pale she appeared. He told her, "Stay here for a minute and drink this." He handed her the glass of juice he poured her and then ran downstairs where she kept the first aid kit with the thermometer.

Walking back into her office he found her trying to straighten her desk and put away all her cold medications in a drawer. He knelt down again and put the thermometer in her mouth despite her objection. "Now, don't fight me on this...I'm sure you're running a fever, I just want to know how high and whether or not I'll be firing up the chopper to get you to the hospital or not."

She shook her head with the digital instrument in her mouth and tried to say, "There's no need, I'm fine."

Matt continued to brush the hair back from her forehead and then pulled it back where it clung to her neck, drenched in sweat saying, "Shhhh, just let it do its job." Before he knew it the thermometer was beeping and he pulled it out to read, 104.8.

She asked, "So what's the verdict?"

Matt put it down, took a deep breath and asked her if she could stand up. She started to but began shaking rather violently. He pulled her to him and could feel her essentially vibrating against him so he told her, "We're going to the chopper."

C.J. pulled out of his embrace, leaning quite a bit on her desk as she said, "No, I don't need to go in the chopper. I'll go in your car without a fight. There's no need to take the chopper." She had to close her eyes for a second.

Despite the fact that he wanted to fly her, he relented when she promised to go quietly and do as the doctor orders. He put his arm around her waist and she leaned heavily on him as they walked to his car. On the ride over, C.J. kept her head down as she tried to concentrate on not vomiting in Matt's car.

She leaned back with her eyes closed at one point and swallowed hard, then she took a deep breath. "You don't have to do this Houston...you can just take me home and I'll go straight to bed."

Matt looked back over at her as he sped a bit through the maze that was the medical center, "You said you'd go quietly if we didn't take the chopper, so no, I'm not driving you home. You're seeing a doctor and then you're coming home with me to the beach house."

"The beach house? Houston, I can take care of myself, really. Its just the flu." She tried to protest but starting coughing hard again. He looked over at her as she seemed to have a hard time stopping coughing. On her tissue as she finally brought it under control were spots of blood.

He took a deep breath as he looked over at her at the last remaining red light standing between them and the Angeles Memorial Hospital emergency entrance. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

C.J. took her tissue and wadded it up, hoping he hadn't seen the blood, but clearly he had. She told him, "Maybe, but there wasn't much, really..." she had to close her eyes again and put her head down with her arms over the back of her head.

Matt rubbed her back and then pulled through the intersection and into the emergency room entrance. He replied to her, "You're coughing up blood so its not just the flu and you will let me take care of you until you fully recover." He got out, shut the drivers side door and walked around the front of his car telling her, "That is, unless they plan to keep you here overnight, which wouldn't surprise me." He opened up her door and then helped her to her feet, putting his arm around her waist.

A nurse came out with a wheelchair and Matt helped C.J. into it. He told the nurse, "She has a serious case of the flu or some kind of cold. She's running a high fever, over 104 and was just coughing up blood. I'll be in after I park to sign all the necessary paperwork." Given the frequency of his visits to the E.R. most of the nursing staff and many of the doctors knew the two personally, so she was wheeled inside and put in Exam Room 7.

She had changed into the stupid flimsy, but cloth hospital gown when Matt came in. Between the lights of the room and the thin gown she knew she looked horrible. What didn't help matters was the fact that she was shaking so hard she could barely stay on the examination table.

Matt looked around the room and took a couple of folded up blankets from a cabinet and put one around her and one over her as he rubbed her arms. He told her, "Just lay back here. I'll leave when he does the actual exam, but I don't really want you to be alone in the meantime."

The doctor did finally come in about 30 minutes later with a nurse and Matt excused himself so she could have her privacy. After the brief exam the nurse came out and motioned for him to rejoin them as he was pacing in the hallway.

The doctor was shaking his head and telling C.J., "You should have come in much earlier. We'll get these samples run so we can pinpoint exactly what it is you have, but I'm thinking you have pneumonia. It probably started out as bronchitis with a sinus infection and then developed further. In fact, I want to run some chest x-rays." He scribbled something on her chart and handed it to the nurse who nodded and left.

"So, when do I get to leave with a handful of prescriptions?" C.J. asked thinking that was the next logical step, just wanting to go home.

Matt looked at C.J. then back at the doctor who told her, "You may not be going home...adults should never let their fever get over 102 and yours is 105.0." Then he looked at Matt and told him, "Depending on the chest x-ray we may be looking at hospitalization for at least tonight if not 1-2 days. We'll have to see how far this has progressed."

Matt nodded at him and the doctor left. He looked at C.J., still shivering under the blankets as she fell back on the bed exasperated trying to tell him, "I can't believe this. Its just a cold, I just want to go home. Everybody gets a cold every once in a while."

He walked over to her and pushed the hair back off her forehead which was still pale and still hot. "C.J., honey will you just listen to the doctor? He just said he thinks you have pneumonia, and that's serious, C.J. You're lucky you aren't in worse shape which I suspect you would be if I hadn't come back today at Murray's request."

He sat down on the bed beside her and softly told her, "Let's just see what the x-ray shows and go from there. From now on though, when you have a cold you can't shake in a couple of days, you are going to see a doctor. Alright?"

The nurse then came in with another wheelchair and took her off for a chest x-ray and before she knew it, she was back in the room with the doctor and Matt. He informed them that they were able to identify the bacteria causing the pneumonia, that the chest x-ray revealed that both the alveoli and bronchi were inflamed and the pulse oximetry revealed that C.J. was not getting enough oxygen. They placed a tube around her face under her nose and told her she was being admitted for the next 24 hours.

She just dropped her head and started to cry as the nurse came over and began the I.V. with antibiotics and fluids. Matt held her other hand in one of his own, rubbing her back with his other telling her it was going to be alright and to just take it easy. He stayed with her for the rest of the day. When they first got to the room, he sat beside her, rubbing her hand in his and softly telling her to relax and get some sleep, which she did for about 3 straight hours. When she woke up he listened to her provide excuse after excuse as to why she had been unable to go to the doctor and how this was all taking up way too much of her time. He argued back with her that her health wasn't something that could be low on her list of priorities. It didn't matter how busy she was or how much she felt she needed to do, her health was more important.

"In case this isn't clear enough...as your boss, I'm ordering you to take a day off when you don't feel well and that after three days if you don't feel like you are making progress, you go see a doctor. Do I need to get a legal document drawn up that says that?" He asked, halfway kidding with her, but serious at the same time.

She replied back with, "I guess I would be the one to draw it up for you. You trust me?"

she asked smiling. Her smile did make him feel better and he knew she was already given that her fever had broken. The rest of the day he watched some bad tv with her, tried to fill out the crossword puzzle together and simply talked. He told her about his trip to London, how he met with the founders of a couple of small businesses that he was planning on investing in and that he hit a few of the local taverns and pubs and essentially went on an amateur pub tour. He then pulled out of his pocket a little box with a pair of earrings he picked up while he was there thinking of her.

She took them and looked them over. They were little gold crowns with 3 tiny emerald studs, simple and elegant. She thanked him as she gave them back for him to keep for the time being. He told her she could wear them when she was well enough to go out to dinner with him someplace nice.

He kissed her on the forehead before he left for the night and went back to the beach house to make sure she had everything she needed in her room. When he bought the beach house with the three bedrooms, he wasn't quite sure what to do with the third one, but he had planned for one to be hers. Matt knew she loved the beach and in some ways bought the house as much for her as for himself. Not that he had any designs on her moving in, but they were best friends and he knew what made her happy and always wanted her to be close to him.

The next day when he came to see her, she was arguing with the nurses over the food they brought her, or the lack thereof. Apparently she got some toast and milk and that was it. She wanted to go home, she just wanted to go home was what she kept telling them over and over. Matt came in to arbitrate between her and the doctor and nurses and they agreed to release her on the condition that she stick to bed rest for the next couple of days, drink lots of fluids and take her medications on a consistent basis. The last set of instructions included a statement that she not return to work for at least 2 weeks.

Matt took her home with him and tended to her while trying to keep her in bed for the next two weeks or at least relax and take it easy. The first few days didn't see much conflict, however around the second week things started to get interesting.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked as he came in her room to find her sitting on the bed with a stack of paperwork. He had just returned from going down to the local market to pick up some more orange juice and fruit for her to keep her recovery going well and more roses, the ones he brought her the day she left the hospital had wilted. He could have sworn he spotted Murray leaving the drive heading out to the highway when he turned in.

She looked up at him with a pen behind her ear and a stack of sticky notes at her side and several on a legal document where she was clearly making notations. "I'm just going over a few of these. Murray..." Matt walked over with that look on his face revealing his displeasure and took the stacks right off the bed, interrupting her train of thought.

"You can do these next week maybe." he told her as he left the room with all of it and put it on his bed.

He walked back in her room and she was giving him the face he had just made toward her. She told him, "I'm not doing anything the doctor said I couldn't do. I'm sitting in bed. All I'm doing is reading and making a couple of notes for Murray. He needs those tomorrow." She coughed a few times.

He sat down on the bed and told her, "Your illness could have been a lot worse. The doctor said no work for at least 2 weeks and that means no work, Mz. Parsons. That stack was work." He pulled the pen out from behind her ear and watched her hair fall around her shoulder. Then he picked up her bottle of water and handed her the antibiotic pill for her to take, which she did. Then he told her as he put the bottle down, "Now just lay down, its time for you to take a nap." She yawned, still tired from the illness as she was still battling it and drifted off while he sat there and watched. He told her the day he brought her home that when she needed to take a nap, he planned to stay in the room until he was sure she was asleep, just to make sure she followed doctor's orders.

Once she dozed off he went downstairs and checked on the chicken soup he had started. He had called in to a couple of friends of his including Mama Novelli and Prince Polansky to get some recipes so he could make this himself from scratch and had spent several hours on the phone with both earlier that morning and was simply waiting for the everything to cook as it simmered in the crock pot. He didn't venture into cooking in crock pots too often, preferring instead to grill outdoors, but he cared so much for C.J. that he wanted to do something special for her.


	2. Chapter 2

2

**Back to the present...**

Matt sat outside on the patio of the penthouse as he thought back to that day a little over a year ago when C.J. got so ill and he cooked for her. He smiled as he remembered how easy it was to get her to comply with doctor's orders when he first got her to the beach house, but how difficult she became with each passing day as her health and attitude returned. Thinking back to all those memories he would ask himself over and over, 'How did I not realize I was in love with her?' Even the decision to buy the beach house included her and her feelings about it, not to mention a room just for her. He had always included her in his life.

He got up to go refresh his orange juice. It was only mid morning, he had just enough time for a quick workout because he knew they would be meeting with a client soon. Uncle Roy was on his way and C.J. would be along soon as well. His plan, the one he came up with while in the hospital a few months ago after being shot was going fairly well. All that time stuck in that stupid hospital room had paid off for him, he thought to himself. He had wisely used the time to draw up a plan to make C.J. slow down and take it easier. She was none the wiser...or so he thought.

C.J. closed the car door after arriving at the day spa. She went in, gave her name and sat down waiting to be called back. Matt had given her a special assignment right after wrapping up the Aleman case 2 months ago. He said he was interested in investing in day spas and needed her to do some research. So far, she had "researched" every chain facility in town. She knew what he was up to though given that he never did any research on Baby and never seemed interested in the financial or legal status of the spa. "Funny..." she told him after visiting the second one, "you don't seem to want me to look into the financials or anything, you just want me to check out the massages or the all day long treatments."

He had just put his arms around her waist and told her that day, "Most women would probably love it if their husband told them he needed them to go out and get a massage or two every week and spend the whole day just pampering themselves."

She had smiled back at him and told him, "Oh no, I do love going out. Don't get me wrong. I just want to make sure you aren't trying to get me to stop investigating or anything like that. I can always reschedule these appointments so I can work more with you and Uncle Roy."

Matt leaned over and kissed her softly on the mouth that day and told her, "These two cases we have right now aren't that complicated and we should have them wrapped up soon. I'm not trying to push you away from the agency, I'm not. I really do want to invest and I need someone to give me that customer's perspective."

She asked him, "So, when we determine which one to invest in, the research will be over?" C.J. asked him that knowing that if this was all just research, that would end once he made his final decision. If not, he would come up with another excuse to keep her going.

"Well, I will probably want to make sure we do some quality control checks. You know, just to make sure everything is being run the way we want it to be and customers are happy." He told her.

C.J. just smiled and told him as she patted his chest, "Uh huh, quality control...so I guess that means you will be wanting me to 'check' on the massage therapist weekly or something like that?"

Matt nodded his head, "That should work out perfectly." As he said that he thought to himself, 'Yes, you will be taking each Friday and slowing down and relaxing. It will be good for you. Especially when we start our family and you need a lot of extra rest and relaxation.'

She had walked away thinking, 'Uh huh, just research, right...' Not that she really minded though. The Aleman case had left her physically exhausted and between that and the Roy Turner parole hearing that had come up again now a year later, she was mentally exhausted as well.

Roy Turner had confessed to killing 4 teenagers in Lake Etah two years ago. C.J.'s mentor, F. Lee Bailey had asked her to handle the arraignment as he dealt with another case out of state. C.J. had accepted the case willingly, she could never say no to her mentor after all, and found out that the social climate in Lake Etah would prove just as difficult to manage as her client. She had to stand strong for her client and go up against not only the public there in the small town, but also against a judge set to rule against her. Given the uncooperative nature of her client, wanting it seemed to be found guilty, she knew she needed to do some background and called Matt to ask for some help on his end.

She didn't want him to drop everything and come running so she asked him to have Murray handle it. Matt already knew that the case had shaken her though. She had unknowingly perhaps dropped her guard when she heard his voice on the phone. He had asked her, "Are you sure you don't want me to come up there and give you a hand?" She had reminded him who the lawyer was of the two and then went back to her hotel determined to focus on the case and prepare her briefs as the professional she is.

The Molotov cocktail that came through her window though scared her and she almost instinctively called out to Matt. He had just finished relaxing in the hot tub after packing to discretely visit the town of Lake Etah and keep a watchful eye on her from a distance. He didn't like the sound of her voice earlier and after watching the news that night, didn't like the looks of the crowds around her at the courthouse.

Her call to him alarmed him all the more. Someone had essentially attacked her. Had the bottle landed on the bed with her or if she had been closer to where it came through the window, or worse yet, what if it had actually hit her before hitting anything else in the room or if the room became engulfed in flames and she couldn't escape...his mind didn't want to go down that road. Otherwise peaceful, law abiding citizens will sometimes react violently if someone poses a threat, which C.J. did. So he had rushed to her side and found out quickly that she needed him probably more than she thought.

The first day he was there Turner tried to confess. Matt never liked the idea of her being in the same room with him, especially alone with him. So when he went in with her, he made sure to position himself between the two when Turner gave a graphic account of events. Matt was convinced he was guilty and simply hearing the confession upset him and made his breathing ragged. He had turned back to C.J. as she excused herself, also visibly shaken, wanting to reach out to her but seeing her almost flee the room. He caught up with her after running in to Murray who had information that could prove Turner's innocence.

What they discovered that day after they were threatened and attacked twice was that Turner was indeed innocent. The local coach had raped one of the students, the fiancee of one of the victims. The soon to be husband had quit the coach's team and threatened to expose him. That was when the coach set out to kill him with the other three stumbling upon the murder. He killed all four. Turner was only convicted of theft and lying under oath with his confession.

C.J. never told Matt that when he was being hauled away by officials, while Matt was checking them out of the hotel, Turner told C.J., "Why couldn't you just stay out of it? I'll get you for this! I will be remembered! I am the murder machine! Don't you forget that!" Those were the last words she heard from him as they drug him out of the building and into a squad car.

Last year she had prepared the psychological evaluation recommendation after explaining everything to F. Lee Bailey. He had simply looked over her list of reasons as to the necessity of such an evaluation and told her with a little smile, "You know, we are on the side of the defense, not the prosecution. Its our job to get him out of jail."

C.J. replied with, "We are here to look after the best interests of our client. I read over your meeting notes with him from the last couple of weeks and it seems as though he plans to be released and then pose a threat to others, saying he wants that title of monster. Its our job to make sure he doesn't get released and then go and harm someone else and wind up right back in jail, probably for much longer next time."

Bailey tilted his head and told her, "You do have a point Ms. Parsons. Think you can handle the parole hearing? I need to catch a flight to New York, there's an arraignment that just got sped up by the prosecution and I need to be there to represent my client. I hate to put this on you again, but you always were the best and most reliable student I ever had."

C.J. coughed once and then smiled as she looked at him and said, "I can handle it. So this is our plan." She said as she held up the recommendation.

Bailey replied, "Yes, I suppose it is. Ms. Parsons, you have convinced me, a defense lawyer to recommend my client submit to a psychological evaluation before his own release." He shook his head, "I think maybe I taught you too well." He said as he left her.

Now she sat waiting for her turn in the hot tub at this spa. She had signed up for the hot water "treatment" before the massage with hot rocks. Oh boy, she thought to herself, I'll be putty when I leave here.

She picked up an outdated newspaper to read while she waited and caught at the bottom of the page that Roy Turner had been released on parole just a week ago. She sighed as she thought back to the events of last week. She had filed her motion again after working for days on it, again with Bailey's approval. The initial evaluation last year had found that he had a disturbing lack of empathy for the families of the victims and that perhaps could indicate greater psychological problems. The psychologist who performed the evaluation had recommended that he remain in custody and receive treatment including anti psychotic medications. Turner had remained calm last year until discovering he was not being released when he began shouting at all the lawyers, but especially C.J. who he screamed at saying, "What the hell is your problem with me? Why do you keep doing this?" She had stood up as they drug him out again.

Last week she didn't appear before the parole board though. Bailey, feeling guilty perhaps, sent over a junior member to argue before the board, armed with the same evaluation essentially although a year had passed. As C.J. read the paper, she discovered that Turner had claimed to have changed, that the drugs were helping him and the therapy and he was ready and eager to rejoin society. The only disturbing point of the article was his quote that he wished to thank C.J. Parsons for keeping him in jail and his receiving the help he needed.

C.J. put the paper down, she had read enough. At about that time a woman approached and said, "Ms. Parsons-Houston?"

C.J. said, "Yes" standing up.

The woman told her, "Follow me," C.J. did and the woman explained where they were going down the hall. "There is a changing area behind this door that is private," she handed her a key with a huge key ring and said, "The hot tub is just behind this other door..." she pointed to the door opposite the changing room. "You need the key to get in. There is a locker in there to put your things. Someone will come in to get you in 30 minutes to take you to your massage. Any questions?"

C.J. shook her head and thanked her before changing into her bikini and then going into the hot tub room. As she went in, she put her clothes in a locker and noticed that there was only one other woman sitting in the tub with her eyes closed. She was blonde and young but awfully still. C.J. walked over and started to put her foot in, but stopped, She said softly, "Hi there, I hope you don't mind my joining you." The woman didn't move at all.

C.J. thought that maybe she had fallen asleep which could be dangerous so she pulled her foot back and walked over to the woman to gently shake her to wake her up but when she reached for her shoulder she felt a shock. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blue spark as her wedding rings came close to the water. She backed up, breathing ragged as she spoke up, "Ma'am! Ma'am! Can you hear me?"...nothing, the woman didn't move at all. C.J. carefully crawled back over and slowly picked up the woman's wrist as it laid outside the tub to feel for a pulse...nothing. C.J. gasped and took the wooden pole used to clean the tub and dipped it in the water to which more sparks came off it and she ended up dropping it. She looked up and saw the electrical box and ran over to switch it off. It turned off power to the hot tub and lights in the room but there were skylights in the ceiling so she could still see her way around. She got out the door and grabbed one of the people who worked there telling them to call the police and that she needed to see the manager.

Once the manager came in the room he asked, "What seems to be the problem, Ms. Parsons-Houston? Why on earth would you want the police to be called?"

C.J. looked back and motioned toward to the woman in the hot tub, "That woman died in your spa today and we need the police to come and investigate her death, but somehow the water is electrically charged."

The manager was clearly on the verge of panicking, "No...oh my...no...Ma'am! Ma'am!"

C.J. walked over and put her hand on his shoulder and told him, "I already tried that, and I checked for her pulse. She doesn't have one." The man started to reach down when C.J. stopped him and said, "You can't touch the water, it needs to be checked for other sources of electricity. I think I turned off the main power, but we need to let the professionals come in here and do their job. The police will need the scene secured and that means no one touches anything, understand?" They talked for another 20 minutes as she tried to keep him calm.

The manager stood up beside C.J. and said, "I can't believe anything like this could happen. We're so careful, about everything." At that point one of the workers came to the door and looked in to tell him that the police had arrived. The manager nodded his head and told him to bring them back.

"Sure thing Harvey," was what the worker told him.

C.J. reached out her hand to shake his and said, "So it's Harvey?"

He took her hand and said, "Yes, I'm sorry, its Harvey Gerard. I just took over last year and so far things have been great. That is...up until now," he said as he looked back over at the victim.

C.J. asked him, "Well you know who I am so you should also know that my husband and I are private investigators. I would like to work on this case with the police so if you could send me everything you send them, I would greatly appreciate it. The lady at the front desk has all my contact information." He nodded and Hoyt and a small number of his men came in.

When he saw C.J. he was surprised, "C.J.? What are you doing here? Tell me she wasn't a client of yours."

C.J. shook her head and said, "No Hoyt, I don't know who she is. I was just here to get in the hot tub. I tried to talk to her but she wouldn't respond. My rings here sparked when they got close to the water and I dropped that pole in there when it gave off sparks," she said as she pointed to it.

One of Hoyt's men, Det. Warren went over to the pump box. After a couple of minutes he called him over to look at the pump. He had on gloves and pointed to the wires and said, "Looks like someone crossed the wires and see there..." he pointed to further in the box, "the wires make contact with the water. She was electrocuted as soon as her big toe hit the water."

That caused C.J. to take a step back for a second, but no one noticed. She had come so close to doing just that and only half an hour ago.

Hoyt told him and two of the forensics team, "Ok, gather prints. Especially on the box here and the main box on the wall."

C.J. interjected, "Mine will be on the one on the wall. I turned the power off so no one else would get hurt."

Hoyt nodded and walked over to her, "Fine, fine. Your prints anywhere else I should be aware of?"

She looked back to her locker and pointed to it, "Well, that's my locker over there and I need to get into it to get my things."

Hoyt shook his head, "You can't be removing items from a crime scene!"

She looked up at him like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Hoyt, I'm in a bikini here in case you haven't noticed and my purse, keys, everything is in that locker!"

He started shaking his head again and said, "I'm sorry C.J., this looks like a homicide investigation. I can't have you tampering with the evidence."

"Evidence?" she said exasperated, "What evidence? Those are my clothes and my belongings...my property." She said that last part sounding much more like a lawyer.

"You will get all your property back I can assure you, but for right now, it has to stay." Hoyt told her.

Warren walked over and looked at C.J., "You know there isn't a man on the force that would mind driving you back to the Houston Inc building. Especially in that bikini."

C.J. smiled back sarcastically, knowing he was just kidding around and told him, "Thanks but no thanks. I have a spare key under the car. I'll drive straight back to the office and pick up my property later."

She turned back to Harvey who was sitting by the door looking like he was going into shock and asked him, "I am hoping I can take one of the pairs of flip flops that you advertise and pay for them later." She looked back at Hoyt and said, "I can't get to my wallet right now."

He nodded and called out to another employee who was already canceling appointments and told him. She took the shoes and drove back to the office in her bikini.


	3. Chapter 3

3

The drive back to the office was close to mortifying for C.J. She got she didn't know how many whistles and shout outs as she drove in her bikini. At least she wasn't in the convertible, she told herself. She parked in the garage and had to build up her courage for a minute before walking across the lot and getting inside.

She turned up the radio. _This is Laci and Blaze signing off_ the female voice said.

The male voice added, _Don't forget we will be extending the contest until the end of next week so that means you can win one of our amazing holiday for a day packages._

The female voice cut in, _Just the thing for me with our wedding approaching! So take care L.A. See you tomorrow!_

C.J. turned off the radio and quickly walked across the parking garage and in past the security guard at his desk, speechless. She got in the elevator after waving to him with a forced smile as if nothing were wrong and felt a strong sense of relief as the elevator dinged in the penthouse.

Luckily Chris was not at her desk and she thought she might actually be able to slip in, get downstairs to some clothes and change with no one actually seeing her. She got downstairs where her husband had just been working out. In fact he was sitting down unwrapping his wrists, about to turn the shower on when he saw her come down.

The smile that took over his face when he saw her descend the stairs in his favorite little black bikini almost made him chuckle when he caught a view of himself in the mirror. He was virtually licking his lips as he got up to meet her at the last step.

"Now this is a surprise, albeit a very, very nice one..." was all he said as reached her and put his hands around her waist, drawing her to him as his mouth captured hers. He pulled back to run his hand through her hair as he continued, "what made you decide to do this, surprise me in the office in only a bikini...not that I'm complaining." He didn't wait for her answer before kissing her again. She was more than willing to kiss him back though as she just didn't want to get into why she was only wearing it and what had happened. She still felt unnerved and shaken up, she had come so close to being electrocuted herself. Besides, he didn't really seem all that interested in hearing explanations right now as their arms wrapped around one another.

So she went with it and him to the shower. He took her by the hand and turned the water on before turning back around and taking her in his arms again. She began pulling at his shirt to pull it over his rather sweaty head and he began fiddling with her bikini straps quickly dropping her top to the floor. She pulled back only long enough to say in her sexiest voice, "You take off your shorts and I'll take off mine."

It took Matt all of 2 seconds to get his down and he stumbled back into the shower as he watched her take off her bikini bottoms like a strip tease. She lightly pushed him back under the water as she stood before him without a stitch of clothing with him barely able to contain himself. After running the water over him for a second he pulled her to him. She slid soap all over his body and he returned the favor while pushing her hair up and kissing her neck...at first...and then maneuvering his way down the front of her body.

She gasped for air the lower he got, of course stalling when he got to his favorite parts. Before she knew it, he had picked her up, with her straddling him and leaned her against the wall as he made love to her. His strength was more than sufficient to hold her and move her around as she almost shouted out when he had expertly found that oh so sensitive spot again that had her gasping for air. After 20 minutes of sheer pleasure she reached that climax and he followed as he held on to her, kissing her on the mouth as expertly as he always did. He gently let her down to a standing position as he brushed her hair back and told her for the 20th time in the last 30 minutes "I love you, C.J., I love you so much."

She responded kissing him and saying, "I love you Matt, so very very much." They washed off again before he reached out of the shower and grabbed both of them a towel, helping her dry off first as he usually does when they shower together. This of course led to more kissing and a temptation to turn the water back on, but Matt pulled back.

He told her, "I would love to spend the entire day in here, but we have a new client, actually two new clients coming in and this might not make the best first impression." She chuckled and agreed, although reluctantly.

The two went to the closet and picked out something to wear and once he was finished, he leaned over and kissed her before helping her button up the last buttons on her blouse. She told him, "Well after we meet with the client, we do need to talk about my spa experience today."

His eyes lit up, again clearly thinking his plan was running along perfectly. "Oh and what is it we need to discuss? Was your experience there today better than the other places you've been?"

She looked down, "Not exactly. It was definitely different than any of the others I will say that." She looked back up at him putting on his watch and said, "It can wait. So who are these clients of ours and what's the problem they have?"

Matt answered, "Well, they are two radio DJs who are about to get married and someone is trying to sabotage their wedding. They keep getting threatening phone calls, someone has cancelled their cake order once and their flower order twice, and they are concerned that whoever it is may become violent. This could become dangerous or it may just be that someone is trying to get on the radio and is using them to do it. Or it could be an ex boyfriend or girlfriend. You are gonna sit in on this with me and Uncle Roy, right?"

C.J. nodded her head and said, "Of course I will. Lets go." After picking up their scattered clothes and putting them in the hamper, he took her hand and led her to the stairs before stepping back and letting her ascend them. Once they got up to the penthouse, Chris was back and Uncle Roy was bringing up Baby.

Matt rubbed her back for a second before they split up as she walked over to the couch and he left to go to the bar to get them all something to drink. "Juice?" he asked them.

Roy looked over at him and said, "Yes, orange juice." He then moved so C.J. could have her usual spot in front of Baby as all three considered her the master at the computer. She kept telling them it was because Baby just liked her best.

As she sat down she said, "Orange juice would be nice, thanks." She started clicking away at Baby and getting it ready for the names of their clients as Matt made his way over to them will all three glasses. "So what names do I need to plug in?"

Matt took a sip and said, "Let's start with the clients, Laura Cynthia Summers a.k.a. Laci Summers and Jonathan 'Blaze' Jackson."

C.J. plugged both names in and pulled up images of the two. She told Roy and Matt as she read from the printout Baby started, "Well, Baby has the two growing up in California...they attended different public schools and colleges but both went into broadcasting. Until about 6 months ago they worked at different stations, but the station they are at now had to drop their morning crew suddenly and they were both offered a position. After what appears to be a whirlwind romance, they got engaged just 2 weeks ago, on air."

Matt leaned over to look at the printout and added, "That's when they started getting the phone calls. The female, Laci, told Chris that the first one got on air when someone called in to win some kind of prize they were giving away and after that, they started to screen more carefully." Matt put his juice down and looked at C.J., "Can Baby pull up the audio of the threat?"

C.J. leaned back over to Baby to click buttons and said, "Well, we can try." It took several minutes of clicking as Matt watched his wife masterfully work her magic on the supercomputer. He couldn't help himself from reaching out and pulling her hair back for her away from her face so she could see better. That's when he noticed her necklace missing. The necklace she had worn since he gave it to her 10 years ago.

He asked her, "Honey, what happened to your necklace?"

She stopped clicking buttons and slowly sat back up as her husband kept lightly brushing her neck with the tips of his fingers. "Well, its in good hands." She took a deep breath. Matt looked her over and raised a brow. She knew he needed more of an explanation, but she wasn't sure now was the time with the clients on the way. "I haven't lost it and I will get it back, but Matt, its a long story and one that should probably wait until after we meet with our client."

Matt looked confused so he asked, "Ok, but what do you mean its in good hands, who has it?"

Hoyt had just gotten off the elevator and opened the doors to the penthouse catching the conversation so he answered, "I have it, but I'm returning it now." He pulled it out of his pocket and Matt, C.J., and Roy all stood up and walked over to him.

C.J. took the necklace from Hoyt and said, "Thank you. When do I get the rest of my things back?"

Hoyt nodded and answered, "Soon."

Matt and Roy looked at each other and Roy asked, "Might I inquire as to why you have things that belong to my niece?" Roy had not really used the term too much before, but he had told C.J. privately before walking her down the aisle that he had grown to view her as the daughter he never had, but that after the wedding she would officially be his niece, and he was delighted as he could be to have her now officially in the family where she should have been for years now. He told her he was walking her down the aisle as a daughter but gaining a niece when she walked back down it with Matt. Those words had touched her heart and continued to do so each time he called her his niece.

Hoyt looked at C.J., clearly irritated and said, "Let me guess, you haven't told them about what happened at the spa have you?"

Matt asked, "What does he mean?" He asked this as he was clasping her necklace back around her neck as she held up her hair. He then walked around to face her and said, "There was something you wanted to tell me earlier wasn't there. What's going on C.J.?"

C.J. took a deep breath and Hoyt offered, "Do you want me to tell them?"

She shook her head, "No, I can tell them, there's nothing for them to be concerned about really..." Matt and Roy both essentially got in front of her so they could watch her eyes when she told them, "I was just going to use the hot tub at the spa before my massage when I noticed a young woman in the tub and she looked like she was asleep so I tried to wake her up." The two men looked at each other and took deep breaths themselves as she continued but swallowing hard first, "She wasn't asleep though, the water was electrically charged and she had died."

At that point Matt took her arms in his hands and looked her in the eye and asked, "Did you touch the water?"

She shook her head and said, "No, Matt, I'm fine." She held up her left hand with her wedding rings and told him, "My rings here gave off a spark and I knew not to touch the water and I knew she was dead. I tested the water with a wooden pole just to be sure before shutting off the electricity to the room from the box on the wall and having the management call Hoyt."

Matt looked at Hoyt while Roy came up behind C.J. and put his arm around her shoulder for a second. Matt asked, "Is there any indication that C.J. was the target? She scheduled her appointment two weeks ago..."

Hoyt shook his head, "No, there isn't. In fact, Mack put the time of death about an hour before C.J. found her. The victim, 24 year old Sandra Mays had scheduled her massage for an hour after her time in the hot tub. An employee was about to come get her and would have been the one to find her if C.J. hadn't shown up when she did." He then looked back at C.J. and said, "You should be able to pick up the rest of your things later this afternoon in the evidence locker. We're citing it as evidence irrelevant to the case."

C.J. nodded and said, "Well, I wouldn't think my clothes would be relevant to the case, no."

Matt and Roy both looked at her then with a very puzzled look on their face. She could see, however, the realization dawn on Matt though and he spoke up, "So, you drove back over here, in your bikini?" He looked her up and down, almost smiling.

She smiled a little sarcastic smile and answered, "Why yes I did and I must say it was very close to mortifying."

Matt asked, "Why didn't you call me? I would have brought you some clothes to change into. I'd rather not have my wife running around town dressed in something I want to be the only one privileged enough to see her in." He wasn't angry and actually thought to himself that a year ago he probably would have made a couple of wisecracks about the experience since it didn't really seem to phase her too much.

C.J. rolled her eyes and then said with a smile, "Well, you didn't seem to mind my being in the bikini when I got here."

Matt started to blush and he thanked Hoyt before putting his arm around his wife and walked back with her to the couch. Roy showed Hoyt out so he didn't hear Matt tell her, "I didn't really hear you complaining about my response either." They both chuckled before he kissed her, slow and intense and then told her, "I love you."

She told him, "I love you." She looked down for a second while Matt still had his arms around her waist and then looked back into his eyes when she said, "I want to work with Hoyt on that case. She was so young and..." her voice started to break so she stopped to regain her composure.

Matt rubbed her back and said, "Of course we can look into it. Come on, lets get some background run here and meet with the client. I'll call in some favors and get what I can from the police for us to go over." He tilted her chin up and asked, "You sure you're ok?". He knew she had to have thought about the fact that she could have been the victim and was probably not saying anything because she didn't want to alarm him. He was right too as that was exactly what she was doing.

She nodded and said, "Yes, let's get back to work." They both then sat down as Roy joined them. One of his hands stayed around her either rubbing her back or just around her waist because whether she said it or not, this near miss still bothered him.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Their clients arrived just as they were wrapping up some background on the radio station the two worked for. Unfortunately the FCC had secured the threatening call and they couldn't access it at all. They had uncovered that the station was falling into hard financial times. Apparently revenues were down from a lack of advertising sales and the manager/owner was taking on more and more loans to cover the interest on loans he took early on when he acquired it.

Roy spoke up at one point and said, "Well, maybe the romance between the two was intended to gain listeners and since that didn't work, some intrigue was meant to spice things up."

Matt looked up and said soberly, "Well, that's a pretty cold blooded thought, to harass and threaten two people just for a ratings boost. However, this is the entertainment industry we're talking about. How do we know its not all fake?"

C.J. looked over at her husband and said, "I guess we'll know more when they get here."

At that point the elevator dinged and the two stood there kissing for several seconds while C.J., Matt, Roy, and Chris who had looked up from her desk sort of watched. They were clearly wrapped up in one another and C.J. whispered to Matt, "I'm thinking maybe the romance part of this story isn't fake."

Matt nodded and then cleared his throat to get their attention. They stopped and held hands as they walked out into the penthouse. He walked down to greet them, "You must be Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson. I'm Matt Houston..." he turned and pointed to C.J. and Roy and said, "the beautiful young woman there is my lovely wife C.J. Parsons-Houston and that's my Uncle Roy..." He then motioned to Chris and said, "Chris here is my administrative secretary. If we are out on the case, she will be who you will talk to."

They shook hands and Matt led them into the penthouse and asked them to have a seat on the couch. Then he asked them exactly what was going on.

Laci spoke up as the two sat on the couch with Blaze's arm around her, "Well, about two weeks ago we started getting phone calls. The first one came when we were on air. We have a contest going to drum up more listeners and were giving away these _Holiday for a Day_ packages, you know free trips on the ferry around the bay or a day at a 5 star hotel or spa or even a night on a cruise ship. Well, this guy was the 10th caller so we put him on to congratulate him." She took a deep breath and then looked at Blaze.

Blaze took over, seeing her react to reliving the moment, "He told us that we were making a mistake and that our wedding of the year could turn out to be the tragedy of the year. He said he would hate to have to hear on the news the night of our wedding how we were both slain in our hotel room. According to our tech guy the voice didn't sound strange until he put him on air. Then it was like it was electronically modified." He tightened his grip on Laci.

Matt spoke up, "Well, we are going to find out who this was and make sure the only thing you two have to worry about that day is not fainting at the altar, alright?" He patted Blaze's shoulder.

C.J. spoke up, "Do either of you have anyone you can think of that would want to stop the wedding? An old boyfriend or girlfriend who is having trouble accepting your upcoming marriage?"

Blaze spoke up, "She does, Laci's ex husband Nick Peterson. The guy's a real piece of work." Matt noticed Blaze's hand clench in a fist and wondered if he was even aware of it.

Laci spoke up, "I married Nick when I got out of college, but we had it annulled not long after. It was a stupid decision on my part. We went to Vegas and...well...I got drunk. Next thing I know I wake up in bed and he's telling me we're married now and I had better get my act together." She took a deep breath and said looking at C.J., "I told him where he could take his attitude and he hit me...in the face...so I left him there. I got him drunk the next afternoon, went down to the courthouse and explained everything to a judge who said he'd heard this story 5 times already today and annulled it. I took his car and got out. He's never been happy about it and I don't really care, but he's kept his distance for the most part."

Blaze then looked at her and asked, "What do you mean for the most part? Has he come around lately?" Again his fist was clenching even harder than before.

Laci looked down and then back up at Matt and Blaze and said, "Well, he sort of called last week to ask me how I could get married to someone when we were still married. I guess he didn't think I was serious when I told him I had it annulled."

C.J. interjected, "Well, I can look into that for you. I'm a lawyer and I have some contacts in Nevada so it shouldn't even take that long." She got up and Matt watched her go into her office.

Roy spoke up, "Well, let me ask you, how have the threats affected your ratings?"

Blaze seemed to tense up but Laci answered, "They've gone up but only slightly. We've tried our best to keep it under wraps. Why?"

Blaze answered, "He wants to know if we have a reason for doing this. Wants to know if we have a motive to threaten ourselves." He was already a little on edge from talking about the ex husband.

Matt interjected, "We aren't asking necessarily if you have a motive, but are thinking more along the lines of the station manager/owner. Isn't the station facing some tough challenges right now?"

Blaze then seemed to calm down as he answered, "Yes, it is and Richard, Richard Romanes, isn't exactly a choir boy. I can't believe he'd actually do something like this though..." he seemed to be thinking for a moment and Matt and Roy waited for him to continue, "although he would have access to a voice altering machine and would know how to use it. He'd also have to, everyone down there knows the sound of his voice."

Matt and Roy both nodded their heads at each other and Roy asked, "We also read about that fellow you two replaced, Crazy John was I think his handle. Do you think he would do something like this?"

Laci spoke up, "Well, its definitely a possibility. We never really met him but we heard he basically drove the station into the ground with his give aways that were never approved and the public truth or dare stunts he would pull. He would also have the same knowledge of voice altering machines and the same need as everyone would know his voice."

Matt asked, "What about rival stations and/or personalities? Anyone else you can think of that might have a motive to try to sabotage your wedding or threaten you publicly?"

Blaze spoke up, "Well, there is Amanda Calemon. She is the station manager for the station I left. She wasn't real happy with me leaving and she was even more angry when we started taking listeners away from her audience."

Matt asked, "Would she have access to voice altering equipment and know how to use it?"

Blaze nodded his head. Laci spoke up then as she saw where this train of thought was going, "When Nick and I were in college we both took the same course on broadcast media. I don't know how much access he has to the equipment, but he would definitely know how to use it."

At that point C.J. came back in the room and said, "Well, I have good news and bad news. It appears Nick went back down to that same judge that you thought issued your annulment and got him to reverse his decision so technically you are still married. The good news is my friend in the Vital Statistics department at the Las Vegas branch can annul it with a couple of official requests. I drew up the legal paperwork and only need you to sign it before I fax it to her. It should all be processed today and the annulment should be official by the end of the week."

Laci and Blaze looked at each other and Laci, angry, spoke up, "You mean I'm still married to that loser!"

She got up and Blaze put his arms around her and said, "Its ok, she said she could get it taken care of today. Just sign those papers and we'll go get some lunch."

She nodded her head, signed the papers and the two left. That left C.J, Matt and Roy alone. C.J. asked, "So where do you want to start?"

Matt thought for a second and then said, "Why don't Uncle Roy and I head over to talk to Nick Peterson. What all did your friend tell you about him and getting the marriage annulled?"

C.J. answered, "Not much...she just said that the judge, Judge Marganis is the sentimental type that has more than once reversed an annulment decision. Let's see what Baby has to say about him." She clicked more buttons and his picture came up with a rap sheet. "Well, it appears he has been arrested multiple times for domestic disturbance, drunk and disorderly and even harassment in the last 7 years." Baby began printing out more information, almost furiously and C.J. tore off the printout right away, "Matt, Baby found that he also spent time in county lock up recently for beating his girlfriend, almost to death. Oh my...Baby got the medical records and he broke almost every bone in her body." She just closed her eyes and shook her head.

Matt gently pulled the printout out of her hand and rubbed her back. He read it over and was just as shocked when he said, "Take a look at this Uncle Roy...look at the description of the wound on her arm...that looks like something I learned in the military."

Roy looked it over and concurred, "You're right. There's a move where you can easily subdue an operative by grabbing their upper arm in just the right way to twist it behind them. It would appear our ex husband has some kind of military training."

C.J. clicked more buttons and found a record from the ROTC at the college he had attended. "Well, it looks like he got through some basic training but was then released. They cited _emotional distress_ as the reason for his removal."

"What else does Baby have on him?" Matt asked.

C.J. clicked even more buttons and answered, "Our ex husband grew up here in L.A., has a clean record throughout elementary through high school, but started getting the attention of the authorities when he was in college. He started out ROTC and then changed his major to Media Studies when he was thrown out for that _emotional distress_. Since then he has been in and out of jail for violent behavior and doesn't appear able to hold down a job for long...huh, Matt, Baby found that he's currently working for Amanda Calemon at her radio station. Here's his address."

Matt told her, "She not only runs a rival station but Blaze thought she might be upset with his leaving her station which makes her a pretty good suspect along with the current manager they work for and that guy they replaced." He took the address and he and Roy looked at each other as they got up to go to the elevator. Matt told her, "You keep working with Baby to gather background on our other suspects there and we'll go talk to Mr. Peterman."

C.J. turned back and started pulling up the information. She got up after pulling up information on Richard Romanes and "Crazy" John Witman to get a cup of coffee. When she did, she heard the elevator ding and out stepped a woman C.J. recognized from before. She was holding a vase of roses to deliver and C.J. recognized her from the time she delivered a bomb for a hit man named Andre. The woman was none the wiser that time, but C.J. knew to be cautious.

Chris had started to take it when C.J. quickly walked down into the lobby. "Excuse me, but do you mind, before you leave, telling me exactly who sent those over? And maybe how much they tipped this time?"

The lady smiled and said, "Ms. Parsons, they didn't tip as well this time and they are my flowers. That horrible incident before taught me not to deliver anything I don't prepare myself." She got back in the elevator and waved.

Chris handed her the card and said, "They're for you."

C.J. took the card and saw that it was indeed addressed to her but her eyes widened when she read who the flowers were from...Roy Turner.

She tried to hide her shock from Chris who was smelling the roses as they sat on her desk. She said, "Matt sure is sweet. You want me to put these on your desk?"

C.J. had to think fast. She didn't really think Turner had planned to do anything more than bother her. He tried to scare her before and had, but it wasn't going to work this time. He was a coward as far as she was concerned, but she didn't want Matt to get in trouble for harassing him. She knew what Turner would do as the media hog he was. He would blow up whatever Matt told him to the press and probably argue that he felt threatened. Of course, Matt would threaten him. No, it would be best if he didn't know. She didn't really feel threatened, just uncomfortable. So she told Chris, "Actually, they aren't from Matt but an old...acquaintance...in fact why don't you keep them. I'm not really interested in reconnecting with this person anyway and you deserve them as much as anyone here."

Chris looked carefully at C.J. and asked, "Are you sure? This isn't a secret admirer again..."

C.J. knew what Chris was concerned about, that it was someone along the lines of Christian Dean. That was the man who had sent flower after flower trying to get her to go on a date with him. When she rejected him, he responded violently by killing her boyfriend, attacking Too Mean Malone who was protecting her and then invading her home. If Matt hadn't shown up when he did, well...she tried not to dwell on that too much. "No, trust me, this guy doesn't want to have a relationship with me. Its just more of a reminder that we've met."

Chris looked confused but then decided not to push it and made space on her desk for the bouquet.

C.J. went back and pulled up background information on Amanda Calemon. She gathered everything together in a file for Matt and Roy to look over when they got back. Then she made a phone call.

"Lt. Hoyt speaking," the grumpy detective answered.

C.J. took a deep breath, "Hi Hoyt, any chance I can come pick up my things yet?"

Hoyt put down his coffee and sat down telling her, "Sure thing. I'll tell Cummings to expedite it. We have a COD on Mays, electrocution. I'm sure you probably figured that out already, but there was something interesting Mack found."

That got C.J.'s attention, "What is it?"

Hoyt then told her, "Well, it appears she had chloroform in her system. Mack believes she was knocked out and then placed in the hot tub. No signs of a struggle really, and he did find melted rubber in one of her arm pits."

She swallowed hard and said, "You think she was knocked out and someone then put her in the hot tub, killing her?...Why?...Why would someone go to those extremes when she probably would have just stepped in and died instantly...I mean why knock her out first?"

Hoyt answered, "Well, according to Mack, he thinks its because of how she was placed in the pool. The initial point of entry was her her lower back and the burns are located there. He and Warren think that the body was posed, probably for us or whoever found her to hide the fact that the water was electrically charged. They think she would have balanced herself as she got in and there would have been burns left on her fingers we would have seen. We wouldn't have seen the burns on her back and there weren't any other indications that electricity was present."

She took a deep breath, "Except for my wedding bands sparking. Oh my god...Hoyt, someone was trying to kill more than just Ms. Mays."

He responded, "Yeah, that's what we think too. So we are listing this officially as a potential serial case." He took a deep breath, "Now what that means for you and Houston is to stay out of it..."

She started to interrupt, "But, Hoyt..."

He cut her off, "No buts, C.J. This is an official homicide investigation into a potential serial killer. Sandra Mays was not your client and you have no businesses interfering in the case. Its official police business, let us handle it."

She looked up and then said, "You know we could help. We have resources..."

Hoyt cut her off again but sounded more understanding this time, "I know you do and I know you want to find out why whoever did this, did this. But, C.J. this is one case that probably doesn't have any rhyme or reason to it. We have psychologists coming in to give us a profile...Look, I'm telling you all this so you will see that this isn't a case you want. I know you, C.J. Parsons-Houston and I know you want to advocate for the victim, but I don't think the end result of this case is going to be someone with a clear motive or anything to gain by committing this murder, other than his own delusional fantasy. Let us handle it and you concentrate on a case where you and Houston can do some good. Ok? And hey, just for good measure, I'll have your things sent over in a cruiser to the penthouse."

She thought about all he said after they said their goodbyes. What troubled her most was the fact that Hoyt was probably right. The killer murdered this woman for no reason other than the opportunity to do so. What began to nag at her was the fact that the case seemed to resemble to the Roy Turner case when it didn't appear there was a clear motive there either.

'No, C.J., no...there is no connection. You're just thinking about that case because he got paroled and sent you flowers.' she told herself. However, on the back of her neck, those tiny hairs began to prickle.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Matt and Roy made their way to Nick Peterson's apartment. When they got there they knocked on the door, but no one answered. A neighbor with a small dog walked by and started to enter her apartment next door. She stopped and asked them, "If you're looking for that loser over there, he's not home."

Matt and Roy looked at her and Matt asked, "Well, it sounds like you know him and I take it you aren't friends."

She unlocked her door and put her dog inside and then almost closed the door as she talked to them, "So are you friends of his?"

Matt and Roy could both tell she was a little on the defensive so Roy spoke up, "Not exactly. We want to talk to him about his ex wife and someone who has been harassing her, to see if he knows anything about that."

She reached out her hand, "My name's Nikki and yes he probably does know something about that."

Matt asked, "What makes you say that?"

She answered, "Well, I hear him all the time...these walls aren't exactly thick...anyway, he's always yelling at whatever poor girl happens to be in there with him at the time. Must bring home a different girl every couple of weeks and usually they all leave the same way...with bruises." She shook her head, "Last girl that left that apartment did so on a stretcher and looked like she wasn't going to make it. At least someone gave him what was coming to him last week."

Roy asked, "What happened last week?"

She answered, "The father of that last girlfriend met up with him in his apartment and beat the crap out of him. He yelled something about he was ex military too, only Navy Seal and his little moves weren't going to work on him. I thought it was poetic justice that this time, he was the one coming out of that apartment injured. Been in Woodland Memorial for 8 straight days."

Matt and Roy thanked her for the information. They went back over to the apartment and Matt got out his little breaking and entering kit and looked around for a second before trying to unlock the door.

Roy interrupted his concentration when he said, "Matlock"

"Not now Uncle Roy, I want to get in to see if there is anything that can tie him to that threatening call two weeks ago." Matt told him.

Roy said again, "But Matlock..."

"Uncle Roy this is going to take all day if you don't let me concentrate." Matt told him a little irritated.

Roy bent down and picked up the spare key sticking out of from under the welcome mat and said, "Why don't you try this instead of your little expert kit there."

Matt stopped cold and meekly said to his uncle smiling back at him, "You know you could have told me it was there before..."

"Before what?" Roy asked.

Matt just opened the door and said quietly, "Never mind."

They entered quietly enough and found a room in complete disarray. Clearly the fight had concentrated in this room as there was broken furniture and glass all over the place. Matt went to a desk and started sifting through it while Roy went into the bedroom and started going through the drawers.

Matt found something first, a whole collection of photographs of Laci taken, it appeared in the last 6 months. There must have been about 200 and most of them did not have Blaze in them, although about 50 did. It appeared to Matt that Nick had been stalking Laci for the last 6 months, if not more.

He took them into the bedroom where Roy had made a discovery. He was sitting on the bed looking over a machine he found.

Matt asked him, "What's that?"

Roy answered, "Looks like an editing machine of some kind and if I'm reading this button correctly, it says _Voice Distort_."

Matt nodded his head, "Well I have here a couple hundred photographs of Laci and some of her and Blaze. Looks like he's been stalking the two for some time now."

Roy nodded, "Ok, well, we should probably leave things as they are and give Hoyt a call so he can come find them himself."

Matt shook his head though, "I don't know what we can use for probable cause."

Roy answered, "Well, according to the neighbor there, he was assaulted right here in his own home. Perhaps the police need to come out and investigate further if they haven't already."

Matt told him, "Sounds like a plan..." at just that point they heard someone come in the front door. Matt pulled out his gun and the two waited behind the door of the bedroom. They saw a woman walk around the room and take something before leaving, locking the door behind her.

Matt and Roy looked at each other, then went to the window where they saw her get in a car and drive off.

"I wonder who that was and what they took?" Matt said.

Roy told him, "Well, let's get back to the penthouse, call Hoyt and find out what C.J. dug up on Baby." Matt agreed and the two left.

C.J. was ready with all the info when they returned. The two men walked past Chris at her desk and Matt noticed the flowers. He asked, "Well now, what have we here? A new fellow?"

Chris smiled and said, "I wish, no these came for C.J. She's just letting me keep them. They do smell wonderful though. I don't think I've ever had a guy send me flowers."

Matt noticed she seemed a little saddened and knew she was still having a hard time dating after being attacked several months ago so he told her, "Don't worry Chris. You're a great lady and a great friend and I'm sure you will make some guy very lucky to have found you someday. Of course, he will have to pass my inspection first and I'm sure C.J.'s."

She chuckled for a second and said, "Thank you".

"Nothing to thank me for, " he said as he went and joined Roy and C.J. at Baby as Roy was wrapping up telling her about their experience at Nick's apartment and what they learned. She was already clicking buttons.

She pulled up the first picture, "Ok so this is Richard Romanes. He's owned and run the station Laci and Blaze work at for about three years. In that time he's taken out 8 significant loans, the last 5 being taken out between 12 and 6 months ago."

Matt interjected, "So he had to take out loans when he bought the station and then about 6 months before hiring Laci and Blaze he had to take out a lot more. Does Baby have any idea as to why he needed to take those out?"

She clicked more buttons, pulled up another picture and said, "She sure does...this man, Crazy John Witman, he created his own give aways and prizes that he never cleared with Romanes that ended up costing the station a bundle to pay out. Initially Romanes refused until one of the winners took him to court and it ended up costing him big time. Then you have the truth or dare stunts he would have listeners play on the unsuspecting public which also landed Romanes at the courthouse. He got sued when one such individual sued him for libel after a listener was broadcast making wild allegations in the dare, _Who can be the most politically incorrect for $500_. Romanes began taking on loans just to pay off the lawsuits and then the interest on the loans he took out initially. Adding insult to injury, businesses began pulling their advertising away so as to not be associated with Crazy John."

Matt then added, "Which means even more financial problems for Romanes as that's their key source of revenue, right?"

She answered, "You bet. However, when Laci and Blaze took over, advertising sales went up. In fact, Romanes is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy still, but if ratings and sales keep going up he can rebound and start turning more of a profit soon."

Roy then added, "So, like I said before, if you add a little drama, that might cause a little ratings boost and pull him right out of that hole he dug himself."

Matt nodded and then asked, "Anything on Crazy John here? How did he part with the radio station?"

She answered, "Not on good terms. In fact he has a lawsuit right now awaiting a hearing. He's saying he wasn't given 2 weeks notice and that the station has blacklisted him and its keeping him from getting another job. He's been out of work for 6 months now, his credit cards are maxed out and he's about to lose his car and apartment."

Roy noted, "So he's desperate and angry. Not a good combination."

Matt joined in, "On top of the fact that he appears unstable. I mean look at these stunts he pulled..." he started reading from Baby's printout, "_Who can be the most politically incorrect? Who can be the most socially awkward? Who can create the most uncomfortable social situation? Who can anger the most drivers on the road?_ I mean this guy has made a game out of people embarrassing themselves and causing conflict with people they didn't even know." He shook his head.

C.J. then clicked more buttons and brought up one final picture, although a cloudy one from a newspaper article, "Last, we have this woman, Amanda Calemon. She took over a rival station about 2 years ago and was the one who first hired Blaze out of college. It was rumored that she worked closely with him...if you know what I mean..."

"Teaching him all the tricks of the trade sort of speak?" Matt inquired.

C.J. smiled and said, "Yeah, something like that. I found out that he really brought in the listeners and bumped up their advertising numbers right before leaving to go work for Romanes."

Roy asked, "I have a feeling Ms. Calemon didn't take that news too well."

She replied, "You'd be right about that. According to Baby the police were called when she went on a tirade to help calm her down. She was throwing things all over her office and shouting at him."

Matt and Roy both looked at the picture closely and then looked at each other. C.J. caught on and asked, "What is it?"

Matt asked her, "Can you find another picture of her, maybe one that's more recent?"

"I can try" she said as she started clicking buttons and pulled up the most recent one she could find. "Here's her drivers license photo taken this year. Its not great, but at least its in color."

The two men nodded to each other and Roy told her, "We saw her when we were in Nick's apartment. She broke in and took something we watched her."

C.J. asked, "Did you see what she took?"

Matt answered, "Not exactly, but it was small and she fit it in her pocket." He looked back at Roy and said, "Let's make that phone call."

Hoyt came over quickly enough, although irritated and asked, "So you want me to get a search warrant for a man you suspect has been calling and making idle threats against a couple of radio DJs while the man has been laying in a hospital bed for the last 8 days and has an airtight alibi? And, if that weren't enough, you want me to search the home of a woman who you saw break in to his apartment, and you saw all this because you broke into his apartment..." He started rubbing his head.

Matt handed him a cup of coffee and said, "The first threat was 15 days ago and yes, he may have been in the hospital, but last time I stayed in one, I remember there being a phone. Besides, maybe you just need your guys to go back over his apartment to collect more evidence on his assault."

Hoyt brought the cup up to his lips and said, "Nice try...but I can't justify going in again, and yes I remember there being a phone in your hospital room. Look I'll see what I can do, but Harmago is being more careful lately. Asking for multiple sources of probable cause now. No real way to look into Calemon though, at least not yet."

Matt thanked him and then changed the subject, "Look Hoyt...what do you have on that death at the spa?"

Hoyt put the cup down and told him, "Well, like I told C.J., we think it was the work of a serial killer." Matt's brows shot up but Hoyt continued, "Appears he wanted more than one victim this morning. We've had psychologists in and out of the office all day putting together a profile. Mayor's wife missed her manicure because we had to close the place down and he's upset to say the least that she was anywhere near a homicide."

Matt nodded and said, "Well I have to say that I'm not real comfortable with the fact that C.J. discovered the body. I'd rather not have her that close either."

Hoyt took another sip and said, "She told us she didn't remember seeing anything suspicious. I wish we had some kind of lead though. Especially now that the media got a hold of it. That Harvey guy is threatening to sue the department. I don't know who leaked it."

Matt asked, "You thinking it was one of your men?"

Hoyt shook his head, "I'd stake my reputation on the fact that it wasn't, and that's what scares me most."

Matt realized exactly what he meant and nodded in silent agreement before saying, "He wants the attention."

Hoyt put the cup down again and said, "Yeah, I think he does. And I'm sure its a he, Sandra Mays weighed 150 pounds and was simply sat down in the water." They both shook their heads.


	6. Chapter 6

6

C.J. sat in her office and had just gotten off the phone with her contact in Las Vegas to check on the annulment when Matt walked in. She had also gotten info on Sandra Mays as Harvey had sent her over duplicates of everything he gave the police. C.J. just took a deep breath thinking about how young the victim was...she had told the receptionist she was pampering herself because she just graduated from nursing school.

Matt heard her cough a couple of times from the penthouse and since it was already 7pm he decided she had worked hard enough today and it was time to go eat and go home.

She looked up at him and said, "Ok, well that's all settled. Laci will be free to marry whomever she chooses in two days."

Matt walked over and took her hand and helped her stand up saying, "Come here," before putting his arms around her waist and kissing her. He brushed the hair away from her cheeks and let his thumb linger over both before kissing her again. Once he broke for air he told her, "We need to go get something to eat and go home. We've put in a full day and its time to take off. "

She sighed and then put her head on his chest and said, "Yes, let's go home." He held her tight for a minute and then put his arm around her waist and the two started to leave. Once they got to the elevator again, she coughed.

He looked her over for a second and asked her, "You feeling ok?"

She nodded and answered, "Yes, it was just driving in my bikini earlier I think. I had the air conditioner running some and then walking through the parking garage was cold. I just need to get home and take a nice hot bath in the whirlpool tub I think. I never got my hot tub experience today."

They didn't talk much on the way to the restaurant, but he did ask, "So I saw those flowers you let Chris have. Who were they from?"

She still didn't want him to go off and get himself in trouble with Roy Turner, but she wasn't lying to him either so she told him, "A former client sent me those. He just got paroled."

Matt turned into the parking lot of the Thai place they had decided on by the beach house and asked, "What client? Would I remember them?"

She took a deep breath and told him, "Yeah, you would most likely remember him...Roy Turner."

Matt's brows shot up immediately at the mention of his name and he turned to look at C.J. "Roy Turner...he sent you flowers? Why? You almost single handedly kept him in prison. Is he threatening you?"

C.J. could see the concern and wanted to ally his fears so she told him, "He hasn't said anything to me since he's been released. Those flowers were the first contact I've had with him." She thought for a second as Matt appeared to relax, but knew she needed to tell him about his comment in the paper so she did, "Apparently he got paroled a couple of days ago and gave a statement to the press saying he's changed and...that he wanted to thank me personally for keeping him in jail so he could get the help he needs."

Matt ran his hand through his hair, "He wanted to thank you...great...look, I'll call Greg and get a couple of guys to..."

She stopped him right there, "Matt, I don't need Greg to watch my back. I have you to watch my back, and if you remember correctly, Turner didn't do anything more than lie and steal."

He remembered that but he added, "C.J. he said he's changed, that might just mean he feels capable of harming someone now and I don't want that someone to be you. He's made it clear that you are the one that has made the biggest impression on him."

"I know that Matt, but I'm really not worried..." she put her hands on his face, "He's nothing more than a coward. He didn't kill anyone, he just preyed on the hurt feelings of the grieving families to try to make himself famous. I really don't think there's anything to worry about." She leaned over and he met her halfway in his car as she kissed him.

He leaned back and told her, "I just don't want to take any chances..." he ran his hand through her hair and continued, "You certainly do have a lovely back and I don't mind watching it at all. Until I'm as sure as you are, will it bother you that much if I keep you close to me, hum?"

She smiled and told him, "I love being close to you so no, I don't mind at all. I love you Matt."

He leaned over and kissed her then told her, "I love you, C.J. Let's go get dinner." They got out and went inside to eat with her arm linked around his.

After they ate they went back to the beach house, Matt suggested they take a walk along the beach. They walked along, under the moonlight, barefoot and holding hands. "This reminds me of the Caymans a little bit," he said.

She smiled and said, "I agree. I had the time of my life there, falling deeper in love with the man of my dreams."

He smiled then and added, "I'll never forget our first night together. I've never felt so much at one time. It was too much and not enough all at once." Then he turned to face her and took her face in his hands as he kissed her, a long, slow, intense kiss. "I love you C.J." he told her as he broke their embrace and ran his hands through her hair. "Let's head back to the house..." he kissed her again, "I want to relive the Caymans..." he kissed her again, "all over again." He kissed her again.

They turned around and started walking back, his hand slipping around her waist and hers around his. She spoke up, "Matt, I appreciate everything you've been trying to do. I just wanted you to know that."

He looked a little puzzled, "What do you mean?"

She told him, "The spa days, Matt. I know you were just trying to get me to slow down and relax more." They looked at each other as they walked. He thought about denying it, but knew there was no use.

So he told her, "I just don't want you to work so hard. On the Aleman case you nearly drove yourself into the ground. You have to take care of yourself and if I have to push things a little bit and make you, then I will."

That made her stop dead in her tracks, "What do you mean, 'if I have to push things and make you then I will'?"

He stopped and looked at her, confused as to why she seemed to have a problem with him looking out for her. He replied with, "All I'm saying is sometimes you push yourself too hard. When you get pregnant, you're going to have to slow down and stay home for a while." Even though Matt didn't realize it, his argument wasn't helping his case.

She took a deep breath, "Exactly how long do you think I'll be staying home?"

He answered innocently enough as if his answer were the only possible one, "The entire pregnancy and quite a while thereafter. C.J. what's the problem here?"

"Are you kidding me?" she asked exasperated and loud enough for two other couples walking by to walk just a little faster past them.

Matt looked totally confused, "What? C.J. pregnant women need to stay off their feet. I've been reading up on this. You need to rest a lot more than normal, you need lots of food but balanced. I've already talked to a leading nutritionist who's agreed to work with us out of the beach house, and..."

C.J. put her hands up and started to walk off. "I am not believing this..." she stopped and turned to him as she caught up to her, "You really think you're going to just tuck me away in the beach house while you and Uncle Roy handle every single case. You're going assign someone to make sure I eat enough and the right things because you don't think I can figure out by myself what to eat. Without even consulting me or asking me first! Unbelievable!"

He grabbed her arm to stop her seeing the anger in her eyes, but he knew what he was doing was all just for the best. Why does she have to be so stubborn and take everything the wrong way? He was only trying to look out for her but she was acting the same way she did when he told her about Robert. In fact that was one of the last times he had seen her that angry at him.

Matt held her arm as he said, "I never said I didn't think you could figure out what to eat or take care of yourself when you get pregnant. All I'm trying to do is make sure the pregnancy goes well and I'm sorry C.J. but that means slowing down, taking it easy and eating well. You're just going to have to accept that."

She pulled her arm away and started walking, "I don't have to accept anything. I have a law degree from Harvard. I know women have to take care of themselves a little bit differently when they are pregnant, but pregnancy is not an illness and lots of women do just fine working and being pregnant at the same time."

He ran ahead of her and blocked her path just in front of their beach house. He told her, "You are not lots of women, you're my woman and you know your job isn't exactly a typical job." What he was trying to say was she was the only woman he cared about, but that wasn't at all how it came out and the look she gave him...

"What do you mean I'm _your woman?_" as that was all she heard. Her hands were on her hips now and she was tapping her foot.

He took a deep breath, "That's not exactly what I meant, but come on C.J. Our job involves risk. Do you really want to risk your health and the health of our child just to do your job? I'll still remember last year when you got so ill I had to take you to the hospital because you had pneumonia! Sometimes you don't know how to take care of yourself." He thought to himself, 'ok, maybe I shouldn't have said that last sentence.'

She took a keep breath and even though they had only the moon and one boardwalk light for him to see her eyes, he could see he hurt her. She told him calmly, "If you really think I would jeopardize the health and well being of our child for the sake of a job...you really don't know me as well as either one of us thought you did. I'm also really sorry I was such a burden last year. I can assure you it won't happen again!" She walked past him, took out her keys and went in the beach house. He followed her as she told him, "I'll be sleeping in my old room tonight...alone, relive the Caymans by yourself." She never looked back at him and slammed the door behind her.

Matt almost shouted but then stopped himself and only said, "Fine" as he put his keys away and then locked all the doors. He stopped briefly by her door and thought he might have heard her crying softly. He wanted to go in and comfort her, but she was really not happy with him right now. Besides, he didn't feel he really did anything wrong, unless loving her too much was wrong and wanting to take care of her every need was wrong. However, he never wanted her to think his caring for her was ever a burden to him. So he took a deep breath and slowly made his way to the bed they had been sharing alone and it took him forever to get to sleep.

She didn't sleep well either even after her nice hot bath. She tossed and turned thinking about everything Matt had said. Did he really think that about her? Did he really think her job meant so much to her that she would risk harming her unborn child for the sake of an adrenaline rush? Seriously? Did he think that little of her or trust her that little? It hurt her if that were all true. They had known each other for so long, how could he say those things and did he really think he was putting her under house arrest when she got pregnant? She started getting angry again. It took until about 2am but she finally fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up before she did and took a shower. He was at a loss as to how to proceed now. This was their first really big fight and he didn't know what to expect. He relived their argument over and over again in his head and realized that perhaps a couple of things that he said, could have been said better. Ok, maybe a lot of things. Maybe there was one person he could call that could help him figure all this out, Vince Novelli. After his shower he picked up the phone.

"Hey Vince! How's Hawaii treating you?" Matt asked.

Vince, who hadn't heard from his friend in so long and happy to hear from him answered, "Much better than L.A. was, how's it goin pal?" He and Matt talked for several minutes before Matt broached the subject of C.J.

Vince started laughing to Matt's surprise, "Houston, buddy, listen, I understand, really I do. Its always like this when you're expecting your first one. I know, I've been there. But C.J. isn't even pregnant yet, is she?"

Matt shook his head and answered, "No, not yet, but I don't see what's so wrong about doing a little planning. I'm only trying to help her. I would think that most women would want their husbands taking care of them well when they're expecting."

Vince sighed and said, "You have a lot to learn about wives, especially pregnant wives. Listen, I'm sure C.J. appreciates everything you are trying to do, at least your intensions anyway. Look, I can only speak for my wife, but when she got pregnant the first time, I went a little overboard."

Matt repeated what he said in confusion, "overboard?"

Vince chuckled and said, "Let's just say Mama thought I was being perfectly reasonable. Anyway, as a cop I was afraid that, you know, someone I put away might come back and harm her. So I assigned a couple of plain clothes to follow her around for a while."

Matt asked, "How long is a while?"

Vince answered, "Her entire pregnancy. Oh she's no dummy either, she caught on after about 1 week. I had to keep rotating guys around and I'm sure she still had me pegged. Anyway that wasn't the worst of it, I was calling her making sure she was resting, keeping her feet up and I told her she had to take time off work earlier than her doctor recommended."

Matt felt confused, "What's so wrong with that?"

Vince took a deep breath and answered, "There's nothing wrong with wanting to take care of your wife in every way possible when she's pregnant and be a bit overprotective. But Houston, women have been having children forever and they know what they're doing. They don't need us riding in to save the day and telling them what to do. As far as C.J. is concerned, well, she's one smart lady and independent. She can take care of herself and always made a big point with me about that."

Matt rubbed the back of his neck which was still sore from the lack of sleep the night before and told Vince, "I know she can...hell I was the one who taught her most of her self defense moves and encouraged her to feel that way since I've known her...I just want to take care of her and I don't want her working too hard. I guess I need to dial it down a bit, huh." He told Vince as he looked out the master bedroom door down the hall to her door.

Vince said in an understanding voice, "Well I think you could start by telling her that her pregnancy won't lead to house arrest and maybe take some recommendations from the nutritionist, but don't have the guy force C.J. to eat what he decides is good for her. Can you imagine someone telling you what to eat everyday for 9 months? The thing is, she doesn't stop being an independent woman when she starts becoming a mother."

Matt relented and then told him, "Well, I didn't think the nutritionist was going to do exactly that, but ok I think I can handle that. We just need to talk I guess."

Vince told him, "Man, C.J. loves you, just sit down and share how you feel about everything. Just make sure she understands you aren't telling her what to do. She needs to know you trust her too, make that clear. Look take care and don't be a stranger alright?"

Matt said, "Goodbye Vince and thanks so much. I knew I could count on you."

After hanging up he headed downstairs to make a peace offering in the form of breakfast for C.J.


	7. Chapter 7

7

C.J. ended up sleeping in later than normal. She sat up and looked across the bed before realizing she was alone in the room she had always occupied before she and Matt married. She sunk back down and put her hands over her face as everything came back to her. Then she sat up and started throwing away tissues she had cried into last night.

She heard a quiet rapping at her door so she said, "You can come in Matt." He put the tray in the door before revealing himself with a white flag, one of his handkerchiefs, sticking out. It caused her to laugh for a second as she leaned against the headboard, back under the covers. He took that to mean that she was maybe not as angry any more.

He ventured in with a tray full of fruit, croissants, orange juice and coffee. "So, you wouldn't shoot down a surrendering man would you, Mz. Houston? You will accept my humble peace offering?" He sat it down on the night stand beside her and then sat on the bed.

She reached up and put her arms around his neck and told him, "I will accept your peace offering. I missed you last night."

He leaned over to give her a soft kiss on the lips and told her, "I missed you too. I know we probably need to talk about everything, but I just couldn't go another minute with you mad at me. I love you so much, C.J." They embraced each other for a few minutes just taking each other in before the difficult conversation.

She nodded and told him, "I love you Matt, but I need to know you trust me. Please tell me you don't seriously think I would put myself in harms way when I'm pregnant with our child. Please tell me you know how much having a child means to me and that I would die fighting to protect..." she started to cry again.

Matt's heart ached as he watched her, almost overcome with emotion begging him to assure her that he knew her, really knew her and that his faith in her ability and judgment was unchanged. So he held her close for a minute before pulling back and putting his hands on her face as he looked her in the eye and told her, "I do trust you. I know you C.J. and I know there is no one I want to carry my child more than you. You've already shown me how much this means to you by working with a doctor before we even start trying to get you pregnant."

Tears started to form in Matt's eyes as he started running his hands through her hair as he told her, "Its just scary for me, C.J. I lost my mother and I never even got hear her voice, that I recall...and that hurts me, even today. I'm sorry, but I can't seem to think past that." He took his hand and wrapped it around her as he pulled her to him the way he always does when he needs her comfort and she provided that for him.

She patted his back and told him, "I know Matt...Look..." she said as she pulled back to look him in the face with her hands on his chest, "I know I will need to slow down and I plan to. You aren't going to need to put me under house arrest, but I do plan to work with you and Uncle Roy on cases, probably spending most of my time in the penthouse. That was what I had planned to do already. I love you Matt. I understand your concern. I just need to know that you understand mine."

He kissed her again and told her, "I understand, I do and I'll try harder to not be so overprotective." He took a deep breath and told her, "Now, how about we enjoy some breakfast first and then..."

Her mouth captured his as she completely silenced him. "Why don't we relive the Caymans first and then enjoy some breakfast. We need to officially make up." He saw the light return to her eyes and it proved irresistible to him and he wanted nothing more than to make up with her.

So when she pulled back the blankets and he saw she laid in the bed in only a shirt and panties, he laid down, wrapping his arms around her as he started kissing her pulling her body, molding it into his. His hands moved all around and through her hair before brushing her cheek and then moving down to unbutton the shirt she wore to bed.

She had worked at getting his shirt off quickly enough and ran her hands over his chest. They kissed again once his shirt was off and once he got the buttons unbuttoned, he gently slipped the shirt off her shoulders. Then his attention went to her breasts where his hands moved over them. She began, as best she could as Matt's attention was causing her to lose focus, to unbutton his pants and he helped her slip them off. Once she had them off she straddled him and eased him inside her. He closed his eyes and grasped the sheet as she moved around on him. His hands ended up back on her breasts as she moved slowly and then faster and did things he had never had a woman do on top of him before. The pace slowing and quickening and her own breath ragged as she leaned back. His hands running all over her before he could contain himself no longer. To his credit, he held on for quite a while. She leaned back over him as they both hit that moment in unison. That was what usually happened as the very knowledge that he had caused her to reach that climax sent him into his own. His hands ran through her hair and he pulled her back down, laying on top of him as they untangled themselves. She got back under the blanket as he kissed her forehead and told her, "Wow, C.J. that was..."

She smiled and finished his sentence with "memorable?"

He chuckled, positioned himself better and kissed her. Then he said, "I was thinking more along the lines of amazing, but memorable will work too." They both chuckled as they had now officially kissed and made up.

The rest of the weekend they came to an understanding on some key issues.

No, there would be no nutritionist staying at the house telling anyone what to eat or not eat.

Yes, C.J. would be spending most of her time at the penthouse working on background and much less if not absolutely no time out on stakeouts or in the field.

No, there was no need for her to stop working out, just maybe adjusting her workout along the perimeters her doctor recommends.

Yes, Matt would make midnight runs to the grocery store for ice cream and/or any other cravings she might have along with frequent, as the pregnancy progresses, foot rubs.

No, C.J. would not fight Matt if he suggested she make a run to the doctor to get checked out as long as it wasn't for something ridiculous. Understood.

They laid out on a blanket on their boat the next day somewhere in the bay. She had her bikini on an hour ago and now only had a beach towel over her. Matt laid beside her, holding her in his arms with a towel over his lower half. He stroked her arm and told her, "This has been quite a weekend hasn't it?"

She sighed happily and said, "Yes it has...we need more weekends like this one."

He couldn't agree more, but now it was time to head in. Tomorrow, Monday morning they would need to get back to work on the case. Every suspect would be back at work and easily accessible. They had gone over the case file last night after eating fish under the stars, C.J. caught them, Matt only caught a small one he threw back. He did however, confess that her bikini distracted him way too much to concentrate on fishing this morning. After that, well...one thing led to another and now they lay quite satisfied and completely relaxed.

Matt had decided the next course of action would be to find out what Hoyt learned from Nick Peterson and then interview Amanda Calemon, the woman they saw leaving Peterson's apartment. C.J. agreed that should be the next logical step and with that decided they headed in.

Bright and early Monday morning C.J. went running along the trails in Boardwalk Park. She typically did this if she woke up before Matt and had time to do so. There were a handful of times she would go out before dawn as the sun was just beginning to rise as she made her way to the park. She stretched and began this part of her exercise routine.

She loved running. It was her opportunity to be alone and clear her mind. She thought about the weekend first, the fight she had with Matt and then making up with him. Her mind definitely preferred the making up phase of the weekend. Then she thought about the case and how difficult it must be for the two DJs simply trying to plan a wedding when someone out there only wanted to make their lives miserable. However, that poor woman she found in the hot tub, well...she would never have the opportunity to have a wedding. She stopped for a second to take a breath as she hit the halfway point on the trail when she saw something move just up ahead.

C.J. suddenly felt as though something were wrong. She began moving cautiously up the trail, not running or jogging so much as walking forward but trying to remain aware of everything around her. All she saw was a shadow of a figure moving into the bushes. Then she started running again, but looking behind her at spots. The sun was coming up already and it wasn't really dark so much anymore, but as she got to a popular romantic spot, she found about a dozen police officers with flashlights combing the area around where a couple sat on a bench.

As C.J. approached she noticed that the couple seemed to be embracing but almost frozen. Officer Marks, the lady officer who had agreed to protect her when Christian Dean was looking for her a couple of years ago met her on the trail.

C.J. asked, "What's going on?"

Marks answered, "Well..." she pointed her flashlight at the couple, "we got a tip that someone had died in the park here and found those two sitting on that bench. Neither one seemed willing to respond to our questions so we tried to get their attention by shaking his shoulder. Sun wasn't up yet really so we couldn't see much, but did see their eyes open. They weren't blinking though so we checked for a pulse and you can guess the rest."

C.J. shook her head, "They both died? How?"

Marks answered, "Don't know. Strange though. Looks like someone posed them that way to me."

C.J. said as she looked at them a little closer, "Looks like they were dressed up to go out somewhere nice or like they were on a date or something."

Marks replied, "Yea it does. Preliminary ID from documents on the bodies says they are Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson, a couple of DJs who do a morning show, or did a morning show."

C.J. caught her breath and Marks noticed. C.J. told her, "They're our clients. They're supposed to get married. I..." she was at a loss for words.

Marks asked, "So you met them both?" C.J. nodded her head still in disbelief. Marks called over to Det Warren and told him what C.J. had shared and they nodded to each other as Marks asked her, "Do you think you could take a look just to verify that's who they are?"

C.J. took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I can do that." Marks led her over to the bodies and C.J. breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's not them. I met both of them just this past Friday and I can say with all certainty, they are not Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson." She looked at Warren and asked, "Why did you think it was Laci and Blaze?"

Warren answered, "We found this in his pocket and this in her purse." He pulled out what looked like IDs to the radio station with Laci and Blaze's names on them, but no photo. Then he added, "We also found a radio give away certificate to a Night on the Water cruise."

C.J. asked, "So someone planted the IDs, but they do look dressed to go on a luxury cruise around the bay. I wonder...maybe they won the contest."

Warren nodded his head and then asked, "So you were out running this morning? When did you get out to the park?"

C.J. answered, "About 20 minutes ago. I run the trail..." she stopped for a second and remembered the shadow "I think I saw someone about 10 yards back. I could be wrong, but I thought I saw a figure, nothing more than a shadow really, moving in the bushes." She pointed back down the trail.

Warren nodded and drew his gun, motioning to about 5 other officers to scour the trail back in the direction C.J. pointed. He told them, "Our tip may be watching to see how this is all getting handled, stay on your toes and watch for evidence." With that the 6 took off leaving Marks with C.J.

Marks offered, "You want to walk together back to your beach house?"

C.J. looked at the couple and then back at Marks and answered, "No, I'll be fine. The beach house isn't that far and it is daylight now. Thanks for offering though."

She patted Marks shoulder as she left and Marks said, "Anytime." She watched C.J. get safely down to the sidewalk leading to the beach house and then turned her attention once again to searching for evidence.

C.J. got quickly enough back to the beach house where she found Matt, fully dressed, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. He looked up from it when he heard her open the door and make her way up the stairs to the patio where he waited. "So, did you have a good run?" He smiled at her and took her hand as she put it on his shoulder.

She leaned over and kissed him for a second and then sat down, "Yes and no. The run was fine, but at the end of the trail...you know that section of trees and bushes, I happened upon the police."

Matt furrowed his brow, "The police what were they doing down there? Was Hoyt one of them?"

She answered, "No Hoyt wasn't there, but Warren was. They received a tip this morning that there were two bodies in the park and that's where they found them."

He put down his paper and looked at her closely, "They found two bodies?"

She told him, "Yep, a couple actually. It appears they had been out on one of those luxury cruises around the bay and somehow ended up on a park bench dead." She looked down for a second and then up at Matt as she bit her lip and told him, "Its connected to our case, I know it."

He looked confused, "How?"

She answered, "Well, they won that trip through that contest Laci and Blaze were telling us about and..." she took a deep breath, "the killer either got a hold of their station badges or made fake ones identifying the themselves as Laci and Blaze and left them on the two bodies. Initially the police were identifying them as Laci and Blaze until I told one of the officers, Marks, that I had met with the two and could identify them. When I saw them, I knew it wasn't them. But someone wanted us to think it was."

Matt nodded in understanding and took her hand, squeezing it and asked, "You ok? How bad off were they?"

She answered, "I'm just a little shaken up I guess. There wasn't any blood or anything like that, it was all just so eerie. The killer posed the bodies to make it appear they were just embracing." Then C.J. sneezed.

Matt told her, "Bless you." She smiled and then he put his hand on her forehead and asked, "Are you feeling ok? You look a little pale maybe."

She smiled at him and told him, "I'm fine. I just got finished running around the park. Its just a sneeze, nothing to be overly concerned about. I'm fine. However, I do need to go upstairs and shower and change." Matt's brows went up and he got a little smirk on his face, about to say something when C.J. stopped him by saying, "And I'll be taking it alone. We need to get to the office on time today."

She did kiss him before she left and he went back to reading the paper. He noticed the obituary for Sandra Mays and an article in the front section about her death at the spa. All he read was that the manager claimed it was not faulty wiring in the hot tub, that it wasn't his fault. He apparently was trying to do damage control. What struck Matt was one quote from Harvey, _We have been working hard to build our reputation as a leader in day spas and will be giving away more packages through the Holiday for a Day promotions of The Laci and Blaze Morning Show. _He thought to himself, 'I better call Hoyt when we get in.'


	8. Chapter 8

8

Before leaving Matt called Roy and filled him in on this latest turn of events. Roy didn't seem surprised but said, "Well, apparently whoever has killed these three people wants the media spotlight and they think targeting people associated with this radio station will do that. What's the plan Matlock?"

Matt answered, "Well, C.J. is about ready to go and I was thinking you and I should head over to talk to Amanda Calemon since we both saw her leaving Nick Peterson's apartment after stealing something and then we can maybe go talk to Richard Romanes and John Witman and see if they have alibis or just to see what they have to say. We know Nick Peterson has an alibi for the murders too, but I'd like to talk to him for a minute. We can stop by the hospital last maybe."

Roy told him, "Sounds like a plan and a long day. See you when you get here."

C.J. came down the stairs and told Matt, "I'm ready when you are." He took her hand and they walked out together. They got in the car and on the way over she asked what they planned to do with the investigation.

Matt told her that he wanted to talk to all the suspects. At that point she offered, "Why don't you and Roy go talk to Romanes and Witman and I'll go talk to Amanda Calemon. That way we can get through all the interviews by 5. What do you think? Divide and conquer?"

He hesitated and started to tell her that he wanted her to stay put in the penthouse, but after the argument they had over the weekend, he decided to come up with a better compromise. So he told her, "How about Uncle Roy and I go talk to Peterson and then I'll send him to interview Witman and you and I go talk to Calemon and Romanes, the station managers. What do you think?"

She nodded her head in agreement and when all three made it to the penthouse Chris was waiting with a message for C.J. They entered and she got up with a small stack of papers for Matt to sign. She said, "These need both your signatures and C.J., you missed a call from F. Lee Bailey's office. I wrote it down on that message pad over there." She motioned to her desk.

C.J. reached over to pick it up while Matt signed his name and Roy went over to the bar to start some coffee. She read that the junior lawyer who tried unsuccessfully to keep Turner in jail wanted to meet with her this morning at a coffee shop down the block.

'Great' she thought to herself, 'What does she want? Its kind of too late to do anything about Turner now.'

She thanked Chris and went to join her husband and Roy. They were talking about the case, the discovery in the park and Matt was telling him about the new plan. He was explaining why he wanted C.J. to be with him most of the day. He didn't want to share the argument they had though.

Matt told him, "Thanks for going out to do that interview with Witman. Until I'm sure Roy Turner has no designs to hurt C.J. I'd rather keep her close to me and I'd rather not have her talking to this Nick Peterson at all."

Roy asked, "And how does the lady in question feel about this?"

Matt replied, "She's fine. She loves spending time with me Uncle Roy." He started to sit down on the couch and Roy did likewise.

Roy then added, "I'm sure she does, but I wouldn't crowd her Matlock. She doesn't need a bodyguard necessarily."

Matt looked irritated and told him, "I don't have a single problem with guarding her body. What are you getting at?"

"I'm just saying C.J. is a strong, smart woman who can take care of yourself. You get too overprotective and you know you're going to get a fight from her."

Matt wondered if his uncle were slightly psychic given that he hadn't told him anything about the fight they had. He said, "Look Uncle Roy, I know how determined she can be and I certainly know she can take care of herself, but I also know a paroled convict has made it clear she is in his sights and I'm not about to just let her run around and put herself at risk."

Roy nodded his head and then told him, "I understand, I'm just saying you need to be careful you don't make her too aware. You know, I had people watching your Aunt Flo the entire time I was in the Company and she never knew it. If she had, and she only figured it out once, she nailed me and gave me the yelling of my life. Worst fight we ever had. After that I convinced her to take piano lessons. Martin La Crosse was one of the best French operatives we had until he got hurt, but he played one mean piano."

Matt was stunned and stopped drinking his coffee and asked, "So Aunt Flo taking those lessons was all just to keep her safe. I remember she loved the lessons and showing off to me and Daddy when all three of ya'll would come visit."

Roy nodded his head, "Yep, and I loved watching her eyes light up every time she did." Matt was sure he saw a tear from as his uncle got up to excuse himself for a minute when C.J. came back in the room.

She asked, "What's wrong with Uncle Roy?"

Matt took her hand as she stepped down on the couch and said, "We were just talking about Aunt Flo for a minute. He still really misses her."

C.J. nodded her head and said, "I'm sure he does. At least he has gotten out in the dating scene and Lucy seems to make him happy enough. He's been through a lot though."

"He sure has and I agree that Lucy has brought some joy back in his life." He looked over at C.J. and then said, "Maybe we should send them on a little vacation after this case is over, what do you think?"

She nodded her head and leaned over to kiss him when she said, "I think that's a great idea, Matt. I remember your Aunt Flo and I know she would want him to be happy."

He put his arms around her and held her for a second before seeing Roy come back in and sit down. They discussed the case and the new plan to interview people. C.J. told them about needing to meet with the lawyer at the coffee shop at the end of the block and Matt told her that he and Roy would be back soon and they could interview the station managers together. She agreed and when they got down to the parking garage holding hands, Matt turned her to face him and kissed her before they parted ways each telling the other to be careful.

Matt and Roy drove past her and Matt honked as she waved back to him as she walked on the sidewalk. She quickly made her way to the coffee shop and stepped inside looking for the lawyer she had met only once. She didn't see her, but instead saw Roy Turner.

Turner walked up to her and said, "My, my, my it has been a long time. I see time's been good to you."

C.J. tensed up and tried to look as though he didn't phase her and that she was looking for someone. She told him, "I'm not here to see you Turner, I'm here to meet with someone. So if you don't mind..."

Turner then made sure he was making eye contact with her when he said, "Oh but I do mind. I thought we needed to have a little a talk. That little blond won't be joining us today. We need to clear the air."

He motioned over to a table with two chairs. She didn't want anything to do with him, but figured this might be the best way to gage his true intensions so she went to the table. After all this was a public place and he would have to be plumb crazy to try something here.

"So what exactly is it you wanted to say, to clear the air?" she asked.

He took a sip of his coffee and asked, "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? I guess you were huh. I must have scared you good since you went to all that trouble to keep me in jail. You and that Bailey guy were there to get me out last year, not keep me in!" He slammed his fist on the table and had raised his voice before then calming down. "I just wanted to make sure you remembered that."

He kept drinking his coffee as a waitress approached and asked C.J. if she wanted a cup to which she said, "No thank you" as she smiled to the waitress.

She then told Turner, "I think our meeting is over," as she started to get up.

He grabbed her arm and told her, "I'm not finished though." Then he smiled and asked, "Did you like my flowers?"

She jerked her arm back and sat down and told him, "I don't need any flowers from someone like you. Now you go your way and I'll go mine..."

He interrupted and said, "Well you definitely are a pretty little thing now aren't you, and feisty...I like that. I bet you take care of that body of yours real well. Go out jogging much? You like parks?"

She swallowed hard and tried to appear that nothing he said phased her, "That is none of your business. Now I'm going to tell you this only once. Do not attempt to contact me again. If I see or hear from you, I'll file a TRO against you. Do you know what that means? No? Well, I'll tell you. It means you'll go back to jail. I make myself clear?"

He looked at her, his eyes hard and cold as he told her, "You'll die before you put me back in that stinking prison."

She got up and told him, "You've been warned." She heard him pound his fist on the table again but kept walking out of the coffee shop.

When Matt had called to talk to Hoyt earlier he was told that the Lt. was out in the field on a case working and that he would get the message when he got back.

He and Roy pulled up to Woodland Memorial and quickly enough found their way to Peterson's hospital room. In fact, in only 2 more days, he was scheduled to be released. They entered the room as he was watching something on tv and flirting with the nurse taking his pulse, "You know you won't get an accurate reading, just looking at you makes my heart race."

Matt and Roy looked at each other and Roy said, "I hope he's got more pick up lines in his arsenal than that." Matt chuckled at that and they nodded to the nurse as she left.

Matt asked him, "Are you Nick Peterson?"

Nick answered, "Yeah, and who wants to know? You a friend of that crazy lunatic father of that stupid blond. Cause if you are I'm gonna call the police."

Hoyt walked up behind Matt and Roy at that point and said, "No need, we're already here."

Matt and Roy looked back at him surprised. Matt asked, "What are you doing here?"

Hoyt looked irritated and answered, "I'm doing my job. Harmago finally came through." Then he walked past the two men and handed Nick a legal document. "This is a search warrant Mr. Peterson. We will be looking through all your belongings here. Since I can't ask you to leave the premises, I'll ask you to remain quiet as we do our job."

Nick threw down the document and shouted, "What the...what gives you the right to come in here and go through all my stuff. You're supposed to be going after that animal that put me in here."

Hoyt walked back over and told him rather loudly, "If you read that document there, you'd know why we have the right to do this. It appears one Ms. Laci Summers had her apartment broken into and she thinks you did it. Someone claims to have seen you limping around her complex last night. We also heard you had to have your IV put back in because you lost it somehow after visiting hours and no nurse remembers checking in on you. She called it in, reported it and that's why we're here. Oh and a judge thought we had the right..."

Matt and Roy looked at each other in surprise and Roy leaned over, "We should probably get a hold of Ms. Summers and ask her and then explain we need to know if there is a new development. I'll run over to their apartment before I go see Mr. Witman." Matt nodded.

He was about to say something and Hoyt was about to explain more to Nick when one of the officers with gloves on called him over to Nick's bag. Hoyt came back with a locket and asked Nick, "So I guess you have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this?"

Nick looked at it and said, "I have no idea where that came from or what it is, other than someone's necklace. Maybe it's Amanda's, she came to visit last night."

Hoyt informed him, "Its Laci Summer's necklace and its one of the items reported missing. Mr. Peterson I am obligated to inform you that you have the right to remain silent..." Hoyt continued as Matt and Roy stepped out into the hallway.

Roy spoke up, "So much for our interview."

Matt looked puzzled and then said, "This just seems all too neat here." He scratched the back of his neck.

Roy asked, "What are you thinking?"

Matt looked at him as the officer pulled a chair to sit outside Nick's room, meaning he was basically under arrest. He said, "I don't know Uncle Roy. It just seems like Nick makes the perfect fall guy. I think he really was stalking Laci, but what motive would he have to try to sabotage the wedding? He probably still thinks they're married, unless Laci told him otherwise. I thought maybe he wasn't a rational guy necessarily and I could see him calling just to harass her that's easy enough to do from a hospital bed, but this latest development...I mean the guy is in the hospital and I know he's recovering, but if it were me, I'd wait to break into her apartment." Matt shook his head, "No, I think its being set up to make it look like he's the guilty party."

Roy agreed and said, "You're right and it does seem too easy and I'm guessing the Amanda he was referring to is Amanda Calemon. That either means its set up well or that's just what happened. Sometimes we can over think things when we shouldn't be. Some criminals just aren't that smart and we give them too much credit and can waste time looking for something that isn't there."

Matt nodded but then said, "I know, but that's not what I think we're doing here. I don't think he's guilty. I think he's being framed by the person running this, maybe by Calemon. The object she took out of Peterson's apartment could very well have been that necklace and she could have slipped out his IV after he fell asleep." Then Matt took a deep breath and told him, "I still need to talk to Hoyt about the bodies discovered in the park this morning and how this might relate to the case. That's another thing, he didn't look to me like he was physically able to overpower anyone right now, let alone a couple, but I'm not sure Calemon could either."

Hoyt came out about 10 minutes later and looked at the two, holding up his hand saying, "I don't want to hear it right now...I've got enough on my plate without you adding to it Houston."

Matt and Roy started walking with Hoyt and Matt told him, "I'm sorry about that Hoyt, but I think we need to sit down and have a talk."

Hoyt looked at him and said, "Why?...No wait a minute, I don't want to know why...I want to go back to my office, file my report and then go home tonight at a decent time for once. I've got my hands full with this serial killer case and the mayor calling my office every ten minutes for an update."

Matt then stopped him by gently grabbing his arm and told him about the case in the park that Hoyt was only vaguely aware of. He agreed with Matt that he didn't think Nick could have committed that crime and he got the same feeling in the pit of his stomach that Matt had when he found out the spa was also tied to Laci and Blaze. Hoyt's last words to Matt were, "Let's hope whoever our serial killer is, he slips up before killing so many he does gain the fame he seems to be looking for and that the happy couple don't get caught in the crossfire."


	9. Chapter 9

9

C.J. was back at her desk going over a couple of merger forms for Murray. She was trying hard to forget about her little run in with Roy Turner that morning. She still didn't feel threatened by him, just annoyed. His plan, according to her, was to simply bug her and try to scare her and if he really thought he'd succeed, he had another thing coming.

A bigger issue for her was the fact that she would have to tell Matt. She knew once she did, he would go off and hunt Turner down and probably physically threaten him. Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling, just hoping Matt could control his temper so she didn't have to appear beside him in court defending him against assault and battery charges.

She coughed a couple of times and felt like her throat was getting was sore. She swallowed hard and thought about running down to grab some drops from the little newsstand across the street. She grabbed her purse and headed out.

After picking from the two options available she handed the man exact change. As she turned around to cross back across the street she spotted Turner. He just looked up at her and waved from the other side street and then turned and walked away. It unnerved her but she just quickly made her way across to the other side as Matt and Roy caught up with her.

She walked up to her husband with his arms open for her and easily slid her arm around his waist as he did the same for her. He asked, "Whatcha got there?"

C.J. pulled out the cough drops and showed him but said, "My throat is just a little sore that's all. This should do the trick. Nothing else hurts."

Matt nodded and said, "Ok, so today is day one."

C.J. looked at him puzzled as all three got in the elevator and said, "Day one?"

Matt looked at her with a smile and said, "Yes, day one. Remember that legal document I had you draw up last year? The one I think you called the Overprotective, Unnecessary, Illness Addendum or something like that?"

She started to laugh as she said, "Oh yes, the one where I have three days to feel better or I'm legally required according to my work contract as vice president to see a doctor."

Roy looked even more puzzled and asked, "You made her sign a what?"

They both looked at each other and laughed as Matt gave his completely biased account of the events. C.J. interjected a couple of times to set the record straight, but Roy just stood there, shaking his head, chuckling.

Matt rubbed her back and asked, "Are you sure you feel up to going out and conducting this interview? Maybe you should take it easy if you aren't feeling well. You already went out to meet with a lawyer..."

C.J. looked down and Matt picked up on it and she knew it so she told him, "I didn't actually get to meet with the lawyer. She didn't send me the message...Roy Turner did."

She almost didn't want to look to see Matt's reaction, but she kept focused and saw him blink multiple times and felt him clench his fist ever so slightly. He asked, "What did he have to say to you? Did he threaten you in any way?" Matt was trying to keep calm and heed his friend and uncle's advice. She didn't need rescuing here. Although Roy Turner did need someone to knock some sense into him it sounded like and Matt knew he was the one most ready to handle that himself.

C.J. took a deep breath and told him, "He just wanted me to make sure I knew he wasn't happy about having to stay in jail because of me." She could feel Matt clench his fist even harder so she said, "They are idle threats Matt. He isn't even physically able to overpower me so you have nothing to worry about."

Matt ran his hand through his hair and told her, "I don't want that to even be something you have to think about". He closed his eyes for a second and looked back at his wife knowing what she was worried about so he just needed to calmly tell her what he was thinking. So with his hands rubbing her arms and looking her in the eye he told her, "I'm not going to go off and beat the man so you don't have to worry about me getting arrested. But I would appreciate it if until he moves on, you stay close to me. The man's a paroled convict you helped put away and worked to keep behind bars that has threatened you". He shook his head as he continued, "I don't care if the threats were idle, they were still threats and as far as I'm concerned, they were made against me as much as they were against you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I'll..."

She sighed and told him, "I know you won't and I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Besides, let me explain how this would all go down, all little lesson in how the law works..." He looked irritated for a minute, but she kept going, "You threaten him or worse, hit him, then you go to jail on assault charges and he goes free. Then it doesn't matter how close you want me to you, we'll only be holding hands when we stand before a judge. Meanwhile, he's out running around doing what..." She sneezed again, "ever he wants to do."

Matt again put his hand on her forehead and said, "You know, you do feel a little warm."

She rolled her eyes and said, "No, I'm not, your hand is cold." To satisfy him she went down into the gym and took the thermometer and took her own temperature. It read 99.1. So she said, "See, its not high and I'm not running a fever."

Matt raised a brow and said, "Technically 99.1 is a fever..." the look on her face told him to back off for now and he knew 99.1 wasn't exactly that far from 98.6. So he continued with, "ok, fine...I'll drop it for now, but if your throat keeps hurting and if your temperature gets over 100, you are going to the doctor...alright?"

She agreed and then they heard Roy shout out that he was leaving to go find this Crazy John Witman and have a little talk with him. Matt shouted back to him, "Just be careful alright...you aren't back in the company and this isn't 1950."

Roy's response was, "Watch it, boy!" Then the elevator dinged.

Matt rubbed his wife's back and said in that low sexy voice of his, "Come on, let's go." Then he took her by the hand and walked with her to the elevator. They held hands until they got to his car when he let her go as he opened her door for her.

C.J. tucked her hair behind her ear as she asked him, "So are we going to see Amanda Calemon or Richard Romanes first?"

Matt answered, "I think we should go see Amanda Calemon." He put the car into gear and started to drive out of the parking lot. "Uncle Roy and I saw her in the..." Matt hit the brakes.

C.J.'s head went forward suddenly and she looked at her husband staring across the street. She asked as he made a U turn, "What is it, Matt?"

Matt's face betrayed his anger and he didn't answer her but sped across, causing a couple of cars to honk at him as he pulled over quickly and stopped. He slammed his door shut when he got out and C.J.'s eyes followed him until she saw that he was walking right toward Roy Turner.

"Oh no..." she thought to herself as she jumped out as quickly as she could to try to stop Matt from whatever it was he was going to do. "Matt..." she called out to him.

Matt didn't exactly hear her. All he could see was that convict waving to them as they started to drive out and blow a kiss to his wife. There was no way that slimy convict was getting anywhere near her and he apparently needed to hear that from someone...no he needed to hear that from her husband. The one that would kick his ass if he came anywhere near her.

Matt's rationale tried to reign in his emotions and to be honest, his rationale didn't exactly have the track record his emotions did when it came to C.J. However, he caught a glimpse of two beat cops he knew personally so he knew better than to just start laying into Turner, so he toned it down. He walked up right next to him and when Turner tried to walk away, a little scared perhaps, Matt blocked his path and told him, "Remember me? I know what you're trying to do and I'm telling you now, stay away from my wife, C.J. Parsons. I catch you near her one more time and you won't be walking away. Do we understand each other?"

C.J. caught up to Matt and put her hand on his arm as she said to him, "Matt he's nothing to worry about, really. Let's just go."

Turner smiled and said, "Better do what the little lady says, huh?" Then in a louder voice he said, "Well, well, well, trying to harass me here...I was just talking a little walk. I mean I know you're not happy that they let me loose, but really...you gotta back off." Then he laughed and said quietly to them, "Still scared huh...just remember...I am the murder machine. Maybe I didn't get to live up that reputation before, but its a whole new day."

He kept laughing and Matt started to move against him, but C.J. stopped him. He did get to fire off one warning, but the two cops came over, "I mean it Turner...you better stay away from her."

They explained briefly to the two cops as Turner left and they recommended C.J. file a TRO if she felt threatened. They also offered to patrol a little more closely around the block and make notations every time they saw him in the vicinity. Matt and C.J. both thanked them before Matt put his hand on C.J.'s back and walked her back to the car.

Before getting in, she reached up and kissed him. "Thank you for not getting violent with him."

He kissed her back and told her, "It wasn't easy. If Sammy and Luke weren't there...I love you, C.J. and I know, I know...if I get arrested for assaulting him, I go to jail and he stays free and then I couldn't protect you even if I wanted to. No need to give me the Law 101 lecture again."

She smiled and got in the car and he went around, getting in himself. In no time there were at Amanda Calemon's office.

It took a few minutes but finally the receptionist told them they could go back. She smiled as she greeted them, "Hello there...I'm Amanda Calemon, station manager...what can I do for you? Are you interested in advertising your agency on our radio? We have several packages..." She began the sales pitch as she led them in and walked around her desk.

She had started pulling out forms when Matt stopped her. "I'm sorry, but we really aren't here to discuss advertising..." he smiled at her even as her smile left her face, "we're here to discuss a former employee...Blaze Jackson? I'm sure you remember him..."

She interrupted him, "Yes, I remember Blaze..." she got up and started pacing. "What do you want to know?" She asked him clearly not happy.

C.J. spoke up, "Well we are trying to figure out who is trying to sabotage his and Laci's wedding plans..." She put it that way so she could gage Amanda's reaction and both her and Matt did notice she stopped pacing for a brief second with her back to them. She kept going, "We heard you were close to Blaze and were wondering if you knew of anyone who would do such a thing...you know, cancel their flower order, call and threaten them..." Her approach here was to not let it appear they suspected her, but were just asking for her help.

C.J. didn't get any further before Amanda looked back at her and shrugged, "I don't know who would do that. I know what you're talking about though. We all heard it, its been all just about anyone can talk about. The FCC got involved and every station manager and some of the lesser management staff had to go to a meeting because of it."

Amanda walked back over to her desk and sat down, "I don't know what more I can tell you. It wasn't my station the call came in on and they don't work for me." She started looking at papers on her desk.

Matt then spoke up to fish for more information, "Do you think Nick Peterson would do it?"

She looked up suddenly and it appeared had to suppress a smile as she said, "I don't know...maybe...he really seems to have a thing for that dumb blond Laci whats her name...I haven't seen him today, so I don't think you can talk to him about it now."

Matt nodded his head and then turned to C.J. and said, "Oh yeah, that's right...he was arrested...and he's in the hospital I think..." the two noticed Amanda didn't seem that surprised.

C.J. kept it going, "That's right, word around the courthouse is that they found something that belonged to Laci Summers...ah that's her name...among his things...oh wait, yes, it was a necklace I believe. They think he broke into her house last night, that he snuck out the hospital even..."

Amanda tried to appear uninterested and said, "Well, there you have it I guess. Now if you will excuse me..."

Matt interrupted again as he kept looking at C.J. having the conversation it seemed with her, "But that doesn't make any sense."

Amanda looked startled and said, "What...what doesn't make any sense?" She waited with great anticipation they could tell.

Matt explained, "Well, I mean he only has two days left in the hospital. Why leave the hospital and break into her apartment last night? Why not wait until he was out? His departure would certainly be noticed..."

Amanda chimed in, "Well maybe he felt he had to do it last night since Laci only spends the weekends with Blaze and he stays at her place during the week..." her voice trailed off at the end as Matt and C.J. both looked at her, "or so I've heard". She regained her composure and then stood up, "I am a really busy woman and I have work to so, so if you could just leave..."

The two looked at each other and Matt took C.J.'s hand and they walked out together.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Uncle Roy's first stop was to see Laci and find out what had happened at her apartment. He knocked on the door and she gladly met him, "I'm sorry I didn't call Mr. Houston earlier, but...well...when we got back here we found the door handle broken but nothing really out of place..." She led Roy in and then pointed to the bedroom door, "until I got to my room...My jewelry box was open and everything was spilled out on the ground. I noticed my locket was gone right away. It's the only thing I really cared about in it."

Roy nodded his head and looked around, "So that's all that was touched? No electronic equipment? TVs? Nothing?"

She answered, "No, nothing else. I was sure it was Nick, but I didn't think that was possible when the cops told me he was in the hospital. But my neighbor across the complex swears she saw someone in a long coat limping around my door."

At that point Blaze walked in with to go bags from a local burger joint and Laci said, "Well, whoever it was, that was all they got."

She looked nervously at Roy and he caught on quickly so he said, "Not to worry. Whoever it was seemed to be after only one thing. Let me ask...have there been any other break ins lately?"

Blaze sat down the bags and said, "No, not really."

Roy asked, "Anything strike you as strange lately?"

Blaze seemed to think it through and then answered, "Well, a couple of days ago we came back here and the door was unlocked. We never leave it unlocked, but nothing was gone. TVs were still here and my stereo." He just shrugged. At that point Roy told them to keep in touch and then got in his car and drove to his next destination.

Roy knocked and knocked on Mr. Crazy's door for a good ten minutes. He started to take out his little breaking and entering kit when he heard a moan from inside and a hand knock away at the curtain by the window. So he deftly put the kit away and called out, "Mr. Witman...My name is Roy Houston and I'd like to talk to you for a second...if you don't mind."

"You with the bank?" Roy heard from the man inside in something of a slurred speech.

"Ah, no, no I'm not. I just want to talk to you about your lawsuit with the radio station." Just to make sure he got inside he added, "You know I'm a big fan of yours. Can't believe they let you get away."

The door started to open and the rather burly man in a muscle shirt with no muscles to go with it just flab, holding a beer smiled at him and said, "Well, why didn't you say so...come on in."

Roy smiled back and cautiously entered. He almost had to tip toe through the debris strewn living room filled with beer cans and pizza boxes. Crazy John brushed some empty potato chip bags off this dirty looking green fabric couch and told him, "Here, have a seat...Can I get you a cold one?"

Roy smiled and shook his head, "No thanks."

Crazy John then plopped himself down in a yellow striped easy chair and said, "So what part of the show did you like best?" He took a drink of his beer.

Roy had to think for a second to the research C.J. had done and said, "I...ah...enjoyed your pranks...especially the one about making other drivers on the road angry...I think it was."

Crazy John spilled some of his beer as he laughed and slapped his knee, "Oh yeah, that was a great one wasn't it. All those idiots stuck in traffic. Gave 'em somethin to do!" He took another drink.

Roy decided to get down to business, "So, I'm a little disappointed they took you off the air. Any chance of getting back on the waves soon?"

Crazy John then turned sour, "Not likely...not until I win that lawsuit that is. Maybe I can get a gig...stupid romance crap on now...you've heard..." he burped, "you've heard about that couple, that Lace chick and what's his name..."

Roy filled it in for him, "Blaze Jackson".

"Yeah, Blaze...what kinda name is that anyway...stupid couple...well they're a couple of..." he stopped himself and took another drink. "Well, anyway, I got a hook up that tells me that when this lawsuit is settled I won't have to go to work ever again." He started smiling. "Anyway, its all set."

Roy looked at him closely and asked, "So you aren't mad at the two then?"

Crazy John looked at him funny and asked, "Mad? Why would I be mad? I just think its stupid that's all." He started grinning and then leaned over to Roy and said, "You know, I used to do a stunt, how to piss off your ex..." he started laughing again, "I had a guy call in, he rearranged her whole wedding to the new guy..." he was laughing harder, "had it all set up for the day before..." He was laughing so hard he almost fell on the floor. "Now that's what I call a prank! And here I thought I was the best!" More laughing.

Roy kept smiling at him and nodding. Then the phone rang. Crazy John excused himself and left Roy to look around in the living room. There wasn't much of a point to it though as it seemed like it was just all trash to him.

However, he heard at least part of the conversation, "What?...Why?...ok...does it have to be right now?...I got company!...fine, fine...I know!...what do you mean, have I been drinkin...of course I been drinkin...ain't got nothin else to do...alright, give it a couple of hours and I'll be right on it..." He got really loud and slammed the phone down after saying, "I said I'll be right on it, now leave me alone!"

He took a couple more drinks and then threw the can away. He met Roy back in the living room and rubbed his hand against his pants leg to clean it off before holding it out to Roy. Roy shook it as Crazy John said, "Look, I've got something I've got to go do now. We'll have to catch up again later. You see yourself out?" Roy nodded and left.

Matt and C.J. got into the office of Richard Romanes in about the same amount of time it took them to get into Amanda Calemon's office. He also made the same assumption about the purpose of the visit until Matt began asking the questions.

Matt started with, "Well, you're two stars there, Laci and Blaze hired us to find out who is trying to sabotage their wedding and harassing them."

Richard shrugged and said, "Rumor is, it was Nick Peterson. He's the reason we initially had to screen Laci's mail. He kept sending her stuff and I could tell it made her uncomfortable."

Matt asked, "What kind of stuff?"

He answered, "Cards, notes, flowers, packages...he just wasn't getting the message," he said as he sighed.

C.J. took a deep breath for a second and excused herself. It hit her suddenly that Nick sounded like Christian Dean. Matt looked concerned, but then he also made the connection. He asked her as she left, "You ok?"

She told him, "Fine, I just need some air," as she patted him on the shoulder and smiled. She went out to the lobby where there was a water cooler. She took a cup, filled it and took a drink. It hurt a little as it went down as her throat was getting more and more sore.

She closed her eyes for a second and caught on to the conversation behind her by two receptionists, "So do you think we'll have a job next week?"

The other lady replied, "I hope so...I keep sending calls to his office from debt collectors..." The both shook their heads as C.J. turned around and started to walk past them. She heard that same lady then say, "He says he has a fool proof plan to get us back on our feet, but he won't say what it is."

C.J. stopped for a second as the other lady said, "I don't care what it is, I just hope it works." Then she reentered the office where Matt was trying to get a read on whether or not Richard was the one trying to sabotage the happy couple and if his uncle was right.

"No!" Richard almost yelled back at Matt. "No, that's not it at all!" he was pacing and running his hand through his hair, "I want nothing but the best for the two and you clearly have no concept of what the broadcast world is like. This stunt as you put it, would drive me out of business, not bring in listeners. You may think that people have this sort of morbid fascination with tragedy, but that's not something I would ever allow to be broadcast on my station."

He grabbed an envelope on his desk full of keys and said, "You see these? Someone's been breaking in here and I've had to have all the door locks changed and get all these new keys to practically everyone in the place! I don't have time to plot against them or devise anything like what you're suggesting". He then almost hit C.J. as he flung his hand toward the door and said, "Now please get out of my office!"

Matt got up and put his hand on C.J.'s back and said, "Let's go." As they got further out he told her, "Well, I didn't exactly get much out of him. He swears the threats will only hurt his advertising sales not bring them up. Argued that businesses will pull their ads so they aren't associated with a tragedy and that this would actually send them to Calemon's station. Oh and he doesn't think that highly of her by the way."

C.J. nodded when she got to the car and then coughed. Matt stopped and looked at her. She told him, "I'm fine. Its still day one," she reminded him. He gave her a look and then opened the car door and got in, looking her over once and then started the car and drove off.

They met up with Roy at the penthouse. They shared what they learned and afterward started to strategize what to do next. Going back over everything it seemed as though each suspect could be the one harassing the couple. Richard Romanes tried to make it sound as if the threats were working against him, but the conversation between the receptionists caused them to wonder about his argument. Then there was Crazy John and there were two issues with him. First of all, he didn't seem all that bright and tended to drink. However, he basically described the sabotage as a prank one of his listeners called in and he seemed to love the idea. Amanda Calemon they knew broke into Nick Peterson's apartment and stole something that all three believed was the necklace to set him up for breaking and entering and likely cast the police's suspicion on him for everything. So Nick was the perfect fall guy, except for the fact that these murders seemed tied to everything that was going on at the station.

The three homicides seemed to throw the monkey wrench into the whole investigation. Matt was sure it was Calemon, but she didn't have the physical strength to pick up a woman who weighed more than she did and sit her in a hot tub or drag/pose a couple in a park. Crazy John could, maybe, so that made him a decent suspect, but according to his landlord, he tended stay in his apartment. The landlord was waiting for him to leave to lock him out and in the last 3 weeks, he really hadn't done that. Richard Romanes, well, he was also a viable suspect, but still, he didn't really seem to gain that much from all this and why kill three innocent people just to get out of debt.

Matt decided a soak in the hot tub would be just the thing to clear his mind. It was late, but they had all eaten dinner and Roy said he was leaving because Lucy was already mad enough at him for missing their last date.

As he settled in, C.J. just walked by with her hands on her hips and said, "How long do you plan on staying in there?"

He didn't open his eyes but smiled when he said, "Now, C.J. you know I do my best thinkin in here." He opened one eye and then said in that low sexy voice of his, "Care to join me?"

She smiled and then looked around, "Well, I guess everyone has gone home. My bikini is downstairs..."

Matt opened both eyes and made his way to her feet and told her, "You don't need any bikini." He licked his lips as he waited for her response. She started to lean down to kiss him but turned around suddenly to sneeze again.

He got out of the water and grabbed his robe before she could turn back around. He was tying it when he said, "We better get you home. You're getting sick."

She looked at him and said, "No, I'm not."

He walked up to her and put his hand on her forehead which actually felt cool. Matt thought that was odd for a second until he realized his hands were just in 100+ degree water. He put his hand on her cheek and leaned over to give her a brief kiss and told her, "We're going home and going to bed. You may not be coming in tomorrow."

She rolled her eyes as he left to go get his clothes on. "Matt, really its nothing, its just because I rode over here in my bikini..." Ugh...she thought to herself...he was totally going to harp on this.

He got dressed quickly enough and met her in her office. She was rubbing her eyes and he walked over to her and softly took her hand and helped her up. He didn't say anything just put his arm around her waist and the two walked out and drove home. She didn't say much on the ride over because, she was feeling worse. Her throat was getting more and more sore and she was starting to feel more and more achy. She looked over at Matt who was driving and holding her hand, rubbing it in that way of his. She felt herself relax and he smiled as he noticed that when he stopped at lights. When they got home, he helped her out of the car and they walked up the stairs, arm in arm. They both changed and she climbed into bed.

He wrapped her in his arms as he told her, "Just rest now. We'll see how you feel tomorrow and go from there. Day two."

She smiled and said, "I'm sure this will clear up tomorrow, I'm not worried. You seem so sure its something serious...aren't you scared you'll catch whatever it is too?"

He smiled and said, "Not scared at all..." then he got serious, "I don't care how contagious it is, nothing could keep me away from you if you really needed me."

She looked up at him and said, "I guess this is where the 'in sickness and in health' part of the vows comes in huh".

Matt rubbed her arms as she laid on his chest and told her, "Yeah, I guess it does. Now just get some sleep". At that point they both did, unaware a monster lurked just outside their bedroom window.


	11. Chapter 11

11

The next morning C.J. woke up feeling worse. Her husband lay sleeping beside her and although she knew he would tell her, 'I told you so', she decided to run downstairs and call in to Carol, her sorority sister, now doctor.

She extracted herself quietly and slowly and noticed the clock read that it was still only 6:45am but hoped she wouldn't wake Carol up when she called. Carol had told her before that she has to get up at 6 to start getting ready for rounds if she has patients in Meadow Woods.

Carol answered right away and C.J. told her about her throat. Carol asked, "So, are you running a fever?"

C.J. rummaged around in the cabinet in their kitchen that they kept medications and found the thermometer. "I'll know in a minute. While I'm waiting on this thing why don't you tell me about you and Jared. Are you two getting serious?"

Carol then spent the next ten minutes telling C.J. how in love she was with him. That their only problem was how self conscious he would get sometimes when she had to go to parties with other doctors from time to time. Other than that, she hoped he would propose soon. She said she didn't care if he bought her a big ring or not, she was just so in love with him and had so much fun with him. "He's so different from every other guy I've ever dated. He's taken me to all sorts of places I've never been. C.J...I went to this little dirty bar and had the time of my life watching him play pool and clean up, you know. He's the first guy that hasn't really had a problem with my job being more prestigious than his, not like Randolph...that last loser I dated who kept reminding me that he was up for head of Angeles Memorial just so I knew he had more influence than I did. Oh C.J., he's always leaving me something at the nurse's desk...sometimes its a single rose or a brownie from the cafeteria...they aren't big things, but they mean so much more than anything Randolph gave me...you know what I mean?"

C.J. sighed and smiled, "Yes, I know what you mean...you ready to hear my temperature?"

Carol then said, "Oh, oh yes, I'm sorry...I just get wrapped up in him when I get to talking about him...I just can't help myself."

If C.J.'s throat weren't so sore, she would have laughed harder but she did chuckle, "I understand, but Carol, its reading 100.8.". She coughed and then started to say, "Matt's gonna..." she sighed.

She didn't hear him come up behind her. He had woken up to an empty bed and went looking for her. So from behind she heard, "Matt's gonna what?"

C.J. closed her eyes and turned around, "Matt's gonna want me to come see you today Carol. Any chance I can get in this morning?" Matt furrowed his brow and took his hand, gently placing it on her forehead as he looked her in the eye. She could see concern there but not judgment. He leaned over, brushed the hair back and kissed her forehead and then ran his hand through her hair until she got off the phone.

Carol told her, "Sure, come to Angeles Memorial. I have a secondary office over there now. Its in the Doctor's Suite I building next door, room 408. I'll be over there around 10. You won't have to sign in, just come on back. Its a research space not a regular patient office, but I have everything there I will need."

C.J. told her, "I'll see you then, Angeles Memorial, room 408." As she put the phone down her husband rubbed her back.

She turned back to him and he asked, "So...how high is it?" as he kept his arms around her.

She told him, "Its over 100, but not 101 so yes...I am going to see Carol. I guess I should probably just hang around here until about 9 or so. I can take my time getting ready and get some breakfast before heading over there."

He ran his hand through her hair again and said, "And then after your appointment, you can come home and get back in bed. Uncle Roy and I were just going to work today on trying to figure out a way to catch whoever is harassing Laci and Blaze. You can think from bed, right?"

She coughed as she was about to protest. He took her hand and led her back upstairs and told her once they got to the bedroom, "I know you are independent, just fine and don't need my help, but let me take care of you for a little while, ok? Why don't you get back in bed and let me make you breakfast, hum."

She started to shake her head and told him, "Matt, you don't have to..."

He kissed her hand and told her, "I know I don't have to...I want to...because I love you." He brushed back the hair from one side of her face and then walked with her over to the bed. She got in and he tucked her in then sitting beside her asked, "Any over the counter medicine you want me to bring up?"

She nodded her head and said, "Maybe some pain reliever to get the fever down, but that's all...oh and my cough drops. They're still in my purse on the couch."

He nodded and went down. She could hear him on the phone calling down to the Boardwalk Bakery offering to tip well to anyone who would bring over her favorites. Then she heard a glass break and him yell up, "Its ok, I'm fine, just dropped a glass...stay in bed." Then she heard him cleaning it up and the door bell ring. Next thing she knew he stood before her with a tray of her favorites from the bakery, a banana and orange juice along with two pain relievers and her bag of cough drops.

"Here ya go..." he said as he sat it down in front of her. "I'm going to go get ready to head in. You just stay here and take your time getting ready to go see Carol. Call me after your appointment, ok?"

She nodded as she ate the banana and he left to go shower and change. When he came out of the closet dressed he sat back down on the bed and felt her head again then said, "You feel cooler than before. I think the pain reliever worked. Do you feel any better?" He tucked some of the blankets around her again.

She smiled and told him, "Maybe...I'm sure Carol can give me a prescription that will make all this go away, I'm sure." He kissed her one more time before grabbing his gun and tucking it behind him. He told her, "Just take your time and let me know, alright. I'll lock the doors behind me and set the alarm...I love you."

She told him, "I love you" and blew him a kiss as he left.

She slowly got up and turned on the water to the shower.

Matt pulled out and drove off.

Roy Turner walked out from behind the bushes by the beach house and ran his hand over the window, open downstairs. He looked around for a second before leaving himself.

Matt and Roy paced around and around the office. Neither one comfortable with the fact that they couldn't figure out how to catch whoever it was that was harassing Laci and Blaze.

The phone rang and Chris answered it. She called in to the penthouse, "Houston...Hoyt's on line 3."

Matt called back, "Thank you Chris." He picked up the phone and asked, "What's up Hoyt."

Hoyt answered, "Me, I'm up...been up for 24 straight hours now...I got the report from Mack on that couple in the park, Margaret Nelson and Carlos Balones. They were poisoned. Apparently its a slow acting poison which meant that the couple probably ingested it at dinner and died around midnight. Maybe even as they walked through the park."

Matt digested that, "So, that means our killer is drugging them in some way, all of his or her victims. That way they don't fight back."

Hoyt nodded his head, "Yeah, but we know whoever it is, has to have some strength with the way Mays was put in the hot tub at that spa."

Matt rubbed his forehead, "Yeah I know..."

Hoyt asked, "What are you thinking?" as he took his 5th cup of coffee from the officer that had just walked into his office, handing it to him.

Matt just sighed, "I don't know...I mean I know these murders are tied to the harassment my clients are receiving, but I don't know how it all connects."

Suddenly Matt caught Chris jump, startled from her desk. Matt told him, "Hang on Hoyt..." he sat the phone down and rushed out to the lobby.

"Chris...what's wrong?" he asked as he got to her desk. It appeared all the blood had just run drained from her face and she was blinking.

"I...I...I don't know what that is..." she said as she pointed to an envelope as she stepped further and further back. "It was addressed to you and C.J."

Matt walked around with Roy right behind him and found a legal sized envelope with something crawling out of it...a spider.

Matt stepped on it and Roy said, "Easy there...how are we supposed to figure out what it is if you squash it til its unrecognizable".

Matt just looked at his uncle for a second and then used the envelope to scoop it up with and carried it over to the table and slid it off. Both looked it over and Matt pointed to the back of it, "Look at that, it looks like a violin..." He blinked for a second and then rushed over to Chris and asked, "Did it bite you?" he put his hands on her arms and looked her in the eye.

She was still clearly shaken up but replied, "No, I never touched it. As soon as I opened it, it slid to the bottom and I dropped it." Matt nodded his head and went back to the penthouse.

Roy said, "A brown recluse...one of the worst spiders in these parts...likes to hide in tight, dark spaces." He noticed Matt take the envelope and look for a return address. He rubbed his forehead. There wasn't any address including the address to the building, so Matt figured someone dropped it off. Without saying a word he took off to the elevator down to the second floor mail room to get answers.

Roy told Hoyt, still on the phone, "Hoyt...someone just sent Matlock and C.J. a deadly spider."

Hoyt blinked and told him, "Did it bite anyone?"

Roy answered, "No, we got it in time. We'll send the envelope it came in over to your place to be examined?"

Hoyt took a deep breath and answered, "Sure thing. I'll send a cruiser over for it now, just bag it. Take care."

C.J. slowly got ready and went downstairs. When she grabbed her purse, she noticed the window open. She thought that was strange and looked around for a second to see if anything was missing before closing and locking it. She sneezed again before heading out to her car.

She was about halfway to Angeles Memorial Hospital when she saw a car blow through the intersection ahead of her hitting a young man on a skateboard. She saw someone, large but with a coat, hat, and glasses on place a baseball bat in the man's hand and something white. Her light turned green and she was already calling the police when she turned her car to block traffic from hitting the young man sprawled out on the pavement in front of her.

C.J. had basically told the dispatcher that a pedestrian was seriously injured at the intersection of Eastdale and Highland. Jumping out she threw her door shut despite the cars honking, going around hers not having seen the accident. She stopped and caught her breath as she realized the young boy's neck had been broken. She started leaning on the hood of her car, closing her eyes. Then she noticed something in the middle of the road, a slip of paper or a business card. 'That must be what I saw the driver put in his hand' she thought to herself. Darting almost through traffic and motioning for cars to stop, she ventured out and picked it up. Her eyes widened when she read it after getting back to her car. It was a ticket to a baseball game that had engraved on the bottom, _Courtesy of Laci and Blaze...Play Ball!_

Warren pulled up shortly after the nearby cruisers arrived on scene to direct traffic and cover the body. He walked up to C.J. who he told to just sit in her car. "So, you saw the car approach from your left as you were sitting at Eastdale and Glasglow Drive..."

C.J. nodded, almost in shock. The boy looked so young to her and it was just sinking in that only 20 minutes ago he was just skating around, probably without a care in the world, and now...he was gone. His parents...his friends...his family...she just closed her eyes and then focused on Warren and answered, "Yes...I didn't see the driver that well and didn't get a real good look at the vehicle either...Aren't there cameras all around here?"

Warren shook his head, "Not for another block or so. No one else got to see much either. I almost wish you had been closer because I know I could trust your account. You would take note of the make and model. In fact, its fortunate that you were here. I doubt anyone else would have noticed the baseball ticket in the middle of the road, much less thought to grab it." She was nodding her head, but still staring forward. He noticed how it affected her and said, "Well, that is almost...are you going to be ok? Do you want me to have one of the guys drive you back to the office?"

He asked that as he put his hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him and said, "No, that won't be necessary. I'll be fine. I have a doctor's appointment I need to get to..." her voice trailed off as she saw the coroner finish zipping up the body bag and lead the stretcher to his van. She asked softly, "Were you able to identify him?"

Warren nodded his head and said, "Yes, he had a school ID..." She closed her eyes again, "his name was Trenton Wells and he was a sophomore at the high school three blocks away. I'm going over there now to make the notification." He looked away for a second, "I hate doing those...especially with someone so young."

C.J. nodded back to him and said, "I can't imagine...You don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine."

He threw her a little smile and told her, "You can drive off now. I'll let you know if I learn anything. So far you are essentially the only one who has been able to see this serial killer." She nodded and after patting her shoulder again, he walked off and she left to go see Carol.

Carol greeted her but noticed something was wrong right away. Her smile as she approached turned into a look of concern, "C.J. is everything ok? Are you ok?"

C.J. looked up as she had been looking down as she walked through the fourth floor of the building and tried to smile when she said, "I'm ok really. I just witnessed a bad auto pedestrian accident...well actually I'm not sure it was an accident...anyway, I'm here to get looked at, so..."

Carol put her arm around C.J. and led her back into the office. "You look a little shaken up."

C.J. said, "Yeah, I am...the boy was only a sophomore in high school...the boy that was hit by the car...so young..." her voice started to trail and then she coughed.

Carol went into doctor mode, "Ok, so how long have you had this cough?" She asked as she began feeling around C.J.'s neck.

C.J. answered, "Just a few days. I figured I caught whatever this is when I drove to the office in my bikini."

Carol stopped abruptly and asked, "You drove to work in your bikini? C.J. I know you and Houston are basically newlyweds, but really..."

They both laughed and C.J. explained to Carol exactly what happened. Carol told her, "How awful..." she looked into C.J.'s throat with her small doctor's flashlight and after checking her ears as well told her, "I think you might have strep throat."

C.J. closed her eyes and put her head back in the chair, "No, really?" Ugh, she thought.

Carol took out a device to take a sample and told C.J. to stay put and she would be right back. She went down the hall to a lab to ask them to just run it real quick and then came back with the results. "You have strep throat. The sample was positive for the bacteria" she told her as she came in the door.

C.J. just took a deep breath and said, "Ugh...so I guess that means I have to go home and go to bed?"

Carol was writing down a prescription on her pad and then handed it to her. "That probably isn't a bad idea. Sounds like the day was rough enough already. Here take this and fill it...they're antibiotics and will help keep Matt from getting it as it will cut down on the amount of time you are contagious. Drink plenty of fluids, eat some soup for example for lunch, and try to get some rest. In about 3 or 4 days you should be feeling much better."

C.J. took the prescription and headed out. She chose a different route to get home and stopped by the pharmacy closest to the beach house. Once she got in, she went to call Matt. Chris told her he had to run downstairs and she would give him the message to call home when he got back.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Matt came back into the penthouse after a fruitless investigation downstairs. Chris told him when the elevator dinged that C.J. had called and was back at the beach house. He thanked her and then headed over to the bar where Roy was already pouring him a drink.

He got her on the phone, "C.J., everything ok? What did Carol say?"

C.J. had made some hot tea and was sitting out on the patio when the phone rang and answered, "She said I have strep throat...she gave me some prescriptions and told me I should go home and go to bed."

Matt took a deep breath, "Strep throat, huh...Do you need me to come home?"

She shook her head, "No, I'll be fine here. I've already taken the first dose and am drinking the last of the peppermint tea right now."

Matt told her, "I'll pick some more up on the way home...anything else you need?"

She brushed away a tear as she saw three boys skateboard by and cleared her throat when she said, "No, just yourself...I miss you..."

Matt told her, "Will do...look, if you need me to come home right now..."

She took a deep breath and said, "No, I don't need you to come rushing back...I just...well, I really think I need to be working with you and Roy on this case..." She was about to tell him about the death of the boy who had the tickets from Laci and Blaze.

Matt interrupted her though, "You don't need to do anything but feel better. I mean it C.J., you need to take care of yourself today and we can worry about this case later. Besides, how do you know I won't have it all wrapped up by 5 o'clock anyway."

She just sighed and then relented, "I don't...Matt...there was another death linked to Laci and Blaze."

Matt's brows shot up as he took another drink from the glass Roy had poured, "What do you mean? Did you hear about it on the news or the radio?"

C.J. took another drink of her tea and then explained, "No I didn't hear it on the radio, I saw it..." she started to get choked up but swallowed hard.

Matt was already standing almost pacing, "What do you mean you saw it? What happened?" He asked with a great deal of urgency.

She told him, "The victim was a young man who was hit by a car. He was hit in an intersection ahead of mine. He was only 15..." she took a deep breath and then started to cough again.

That was enough for Matt to hear. He told her, "Honey, why don't you go lay down, I'll be there in a minute..."

She interrupted him and said, "You don't have to Matt, its not necessary..."

He interrupted her, "Yes it is...My wife witnessed something that I can tell even over the phone rattled her and on top of all that is sick. I'm coming home. Uncle Roy and I can work from there, so we will both be there in a minute. I love you C.J. Just take it easy until I get there, alright?"

They said goodbye and Roy looked at his nephew from behind the bar, "So we're working out of the beach house today?"

Matt took the last drink and told him, "Yeah, we can bring that smaller version of Baby with us and work from there. Let's go."

Matt and Roy got in their separate cars and headed over. Matt had explained what C.J. told him about the 4th victim of the serial killer tied to the case. Roy offered to pick up the tea at the store so Matt wouldn't have to stop and could get to her faster.

He got into the beach house and found C.J. sleeping on the couch, curled up with a blanket and sweating. It reminded him for a split second to seeing her a year ago in her office, sick with pneumonia. He gently leaned over and brushed her hair off her face and felt her head. It felt warm maybe, but not hot. He then gently picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. She started to wake up, but didn't fight him at all. In fact, she put her arms around his neck and let him carry her leaning into his shoulder. He began softly patting her arm and drawing her closer to him as he carried her. She was still holding her tissue as she had cried before drifting off to sleep.

He gently laid her on the bed and started putting the blankets over her. She sat up and went right into his embrace, "Oh Matt...he was so young..." was all she got out before crying softly into his chest.

He stroked her hair and told her softly, "I know, I know...here, honey just lay down and take it easy. Take yourself a little nap. Uncle Roy and I will be downstairs if you need anything." He kissed her forehead, "I love you, just rest now."

She laid back and started to drift off, but not before saying, "I love you Matt, so, so much."

Matt had just gotten downstairs when the phone rang. He picked it up, "Houston".

Chris answered, "I just got a call from the clients Laci and Blaze. Apparently someone called and canceled their preacher for their wedding. They sounded upset and said something about the wedding being only a month away, what were they going to do?"

Matt replied, "Ok, look I'll call them from here and we'll see what Uncle Roy and I can find out."

At about that time, Roy did pull up and carried in his large paper bag with things for C.J. to make her feel better. Matt asked him, "What's this?"

Roy answered, "My niece needed a few things and I bought them for her," as he handed the bag to a puzzled Matt. He looked in the bag and began unpacking it on the counter.

"Uncle Roy...did you get every flavor of herbal tea they make?" Matt asked as he held up one, "Jasmine?"

Roy nodded, "Yea jasmine...First time I ever had jasmine tea was in a covert operation in Thailand. Its good stuff and will help her sleep." Matt put the box down, still a little confused but appreciative of how Roy was only wanting C.J. to feel better too.

So they went upstairs to the patio, "Well..." Matt started, "we have a new development."

"Oh?" Roy asked. Matt explained the phone call from Chris and the two shook their heads. None of this made sense to either one. So they basically kept pacing and fired up Baby Jr. to see what else they could find on their suspects.

About two hours later after talking to Det Warren, getting information from him on the alibis the suspects gave Matt ran his hands through his hair, "I don't get it Uncle Roy...I mean my gut is telling me Amanda Calemon is behind this, but how? She doesn't have the strength to commit these murders and pose the bodies the way they were and according to all Warren...they all have alibis for where they were when the kid was run down this morning...wait a minute...didn't he say that, that Crazy John guy, now he said he was interviewing with Amanda Calemon in his apartment...that was his alibi?"

Roy nodded and caught on to what Matt was thinking, "You think they're in this together?"

Matt thought for a second, "That makes sense, maybe. I mean I know she's a part of this and that Crazy John isn't exactly mentally stable..."

Roy then added, "But he's had an alibi for the last three weeks. If he gets caught out of that apartment, he's gonna lose it."

Matt relented and said, "Yeah...then there's Romanes, now he said there have been break ins and that there is no recorded release of that baseball ticket, but he has an airtight alibi….could it be that there is someone else we aren't thinking of?"

At that point, C.J. made her way to the patio. She had slept, but woke up suddenly with a nightmare. Her dream led her back to her car and the accident this morning. As she leaned over the boy he opened his eyes and told her, "This was all your fault and you know it." She had jolted out of bed and stifled her own scream.

She got up and went downstairs looking for Matt and found both men on the patio. She opened the door and asked them, "So, did you solve the case yet?"

Both men looked at her and she actually looked worse now. Her eyes were red and she was coughing more. Matt took her hand and she sat down beside him. He said, "No, not yet. You don't look like you feel any better." He ran his hand over her hair and brushed it off her forehead, checking again to see if she had a fever

She smiled and said, "Thank you, that's nice...but no, I don't really. I was thinking about going downstairs and making a cup of tea. Did you buy some more?"

Roy told her to wait there and he would take care of it. Matt told her, "Come here and sit in my lap." She did and he kept rubbing her back with one hand and holding hers with his other. He told her about the new development and she nodded, digesting everything.

Roy came back out a few minutes later and handed her a cup of jasmine tea. "Here, this should help."

She took the cup and a sip, "Oh this tastes good...what kind is it?"

Roy answered, "Jasmine green tea...it should help you feel better and help you rest."

She thanked him and started to take another sip. Then she stopped and looked at Matt, "Matt...are Laci and Blaze using a wedding planner?"

Matt blinked a couple of times and answered, "No, I don't think so...why?"

She looked at the two and said, "Well, then how does the person who is canceling everything know who to call to cancel?"

Roy and Matt looked at each other and Roy said, "Maybe we better work on that end of it. Why don't we call Laci and ask her how she's going about doing the actual planning?"

Matt nodded, "She did tell me they were trying to keep everything out of the press as best as possible."

Roy went inside and made the call. C.J. kept sitting there thinking everything through. Matt shared everything he and Roy had talked about and the possibility of Calemon and Witman being in it together. At that point he told her about the delivery of the spider.

Her initial reaction was, "Is Chris ok?" She asked as she sat up straighter and was genuinely worried about her.

Matt assured her, "She's fine, it never touched her." He kept rubbing her back, "I think that means someone is worried we are getting too close." He took a deep breath and told her, "I'm thinking about having Greg and couple of guys come over and hang around until we can get this cleared up. They'd be hanging around both of us and only here at the beach house." He told her as he started running his hand through her hair.

C.J. had started to prepare herself again to explain to Matt she could take care of herself, but then realized he didn't exactly say he was worried about her safety only, but both of them. She could handle his taking extra precautions for the both of them. So she agreed.

Roy came back out with a smile on his face. Matt asked him, "I take it you got some useful information from Laci?"

Roy answered, "Why yes, yes I did, but from Blaze. Seems Laci's been planning her wedding based on a book she got from Blaze. He told her his old frat buddy's wife had put it together when they got married, but he was lying. Amanda Calemon had put it together when she told him, she wanted to marry him."

Matt then said, "So now we know who has all the information, access to sabotage the wedding." He looked back at Roy and said, "You better call Hoyt." The two nodded at each other and Matt led his wife back inside. "Come on," he said. She had finished her tea and was beginning to feel sleepy again. When they got to the bedroom she willingly climbed back in bed and went to sleep.

Hoyt told them that was enough for a search warrant, but it would take time as Harmago was in court. He did tell them that he the boys downtown were able to run the fingerprints on the envelope with the spider. "It wasn't in the system, there was no match."

Roy handed the phone to Matt as he came back in the room after leaving C.J. He told him, "Hoyt says there wasn't a match on the prints from the envelope."

Matt took the phone and said, "So that means Roy Turner's prints weren't on it."

Hoyt answered, "Nope, and I told them to match against him first. We'll keep it in the system...at some point if this person gets arrested it will alert us. In the meantime...Judge Harmago wanted Nick Peterson arraigned and arranged for a special session to do so. You'll never guess who bailed him out after bail was set..."

Matt's eyebrows raised and he asked, "Who?" He looked back at Uncle Roy.

Hoyt answered, "Amanda Calemon, his boss. Strange since you told me you think she set him up."

Matt nodded his head, "Maybe she feels guilty or is just trying to cover the fact that she's interested in how the case is progressing by positioning herself in the middle of it and probably getting him to confide in her. She's tied to this in so many ways..."

Hoyt speculated, "Well, we also hear she has a thing for her young male employees. I wonder if she doesn't have a non professional relationship with him that would have let her gain access to his apartment and his fascination for Laci Summers."

Matt looked at Roy, "Yeah, that would make sense. She spends enough time over at his apartment and finds he has a thing for her former lover's fiancee. She has access and motive to set him up." Matt just shook his head, "Just how does this serial killer factor into this though?"

Hoyt let his irritation come out when he shared something neither Matt nor Roy knew yet, "Well he definitely wants the media spotlight...Haven't you been watching the news over the last two hours! This killer sent every radio station and television station in town an update! I had to call 2 extra shifts of dispatchers to come in and handle the flood of calls that have been coming in!"

Matt shook his head, "What did the message say?" He didn't like the fact that the killer wanted the attention. That meant he would just keep killing until he got caught, probably at a faster pace than before.

Hoyt grabbed the bottle of antacids again and said, "Look, I'm sorry, its just...if it isn't the mayor its the 5 million other people in L.A. all panicking that this guy is gonna strike them...and I can't exactly tell them they're wrong...on top of all that..." Hoyt's voice got quiet, "the mother of the last victim, the high schooler, has been in here all day. We've sedated her, but she's still overcome and won't leave and go home to take care of herself. I'm sorry, its just been a really bad day."

Matt said, "Sounds like it...Did the guy say anything that would give him away?"

Hoyt answered, "No, just said he wanted the world to know he was there. Oh and that he had Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson to thank for that."

Matt looked at Uncle Roy as he got off the phone. After relaying the message to him Roy said, "Sounds like he doesn't want to stay hidden for long."

Matt said, "I know, and that's what has me worried."


	13. Chapter 13

13

Matt went to check on C.J. one more time before he and Roy headed out. Their plan was for Matt to be to talking Witman while Roy was talking to Calemon to test their theory. They would call each other at some point and make it clear to them that they were being investigated and see if they react. Hoyt agreed to have some men 'patrolling' near by in case anything serious went down.

Matt knocked on the door of Witman's apartment and called out, "Mr. Witman? Mr. Witman?" He saw some movement behind the curtain so he said, "My name's Matt Houston and I'm not with any bank or your complex here...I just want to talk about your lawsuit and the radio station."

Crazy John poked his head out of the door and said, "You here to settle?" He looked no more clean than what Uncle Roy described.

Matt said, "Not exactly...is there anyway I can come in, its awfully hot out here...and I could use a cold one..." he motioned to the beer in Crazy John's hand. He still seemed hesitant so he did what his uncle did before. "Would it help matters if I were a fan?"

Crazy John then opened the door and said, "Yeah...well...come on in I guess." He noticed that the reception John was giving him was different than the one his uncle got. John seemed very nervous that Matt was there.

Matt then said, "Look I'll be honest, I may not be your biggest fan but I do need to talk to you about Laci and Blaze and their morning show...the morning show that used to be yours."

Crazy John asked, "What do you want with me then? I never even met them." He sat down and Matt moved a couple of pizza boxes around and sat down himself on the couch.

Matt then asked, "Well, you don't seem to be their biggest fan. I was wondering if you would have a motive to harass them. You know pull a prank on them the way you used to have listeners play pranks on people they barely knew."

Crazy John looked agitated and he slammed his beer down when he said, "Hey! Those were harmless pranks, nobody ever got hurt, not really. Stupid Romanes...panicked every time I tried to do something fun. Idiot." He took another drink.

Matt, having that keen eye that he does, looked around the room and found a stack of envelopes that looked a lot like the one delivered with the spider and John's handwriting that matched the _Matt Houston and C.J. Parsons_ on that envelope.

Crazy John saw Matt make the mental connection and he got up and said, "I should get you that cold one you asked for." However when he said it, it sounded different, more sober.

Matt nodded and then listened as Crazy John opened a window and slipped out the back. Matt gave chase and a police cruiser spotted them and ran in front of John just as Matt caught up with him. Matt grabbed him and slammed him to the ground as the officers tried to pull him off of John.

One of them said, "Houston, come on man...let him go, we got him." Matt was breathing heavy and nodded before backing up.

Hoyt came over quickly and the two tried to rummage through the apartment. Matt looked at his watch and told Hoyt, "I need to call Uncle Roy at Amanda Calemon's office to see how she responds."

Hoyt nodded and called over to an officer, "Roberts...radio over to Allens and Taylor and tell them to be prepared. Roy Houston is about to get that call from his nephew."

Roberts nodded and ran out.

Matt went over to the phone and called, "Yes, I need to speak with Roy Houston...I believe he is meeting with Ms. Amanda Calemon. Its really important, please." Matt looked over at Hoyt and the two listened as Roy had a conversation with himself.

Roy answered, "Yes, Matlock...is that you?... Really? He did...Going to tell the police everything, huh...well...keep me posted when he starts naming names...I'll be back in the office soon."

Roy had only just arrived and really hadn't had time to do much more than tell Amanda Calemon who he was and that he was working with Matt to try to find out who was harassing Laci and Blaze and who was behind the serial killings.

He sat the phone down saying, "Thank you so much...Looks like I've wasted much of your time. My nephew just told me that Crazy John Witman is in custody and is about to tell the police everything."

He noticed her swallow hard and try to keep her composure but the cracks were getting through. She told him, "That's good then, yes that's good. Then that Laci and Blaze can go ahead and get married without having to worry. You know that Crazy John is absolutely certifiable. I wouldn't really trust much of what he has to say." She took a drink from her bottle of water.

Roy then said, "Well, I'm surprised you would say that..." she stopped drinking suddenly as he continued, "especially given that you were interviewing him just this morning."

She put the bottle down and said, "He had listeners and I can assure you, it was only a passing thought.." She straighten her blazer as she stood up. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a station to run."

She didn't lead him out but left ahead of him. Roy then turned and called Matt back to the number that called her office and told him, "I didn't get much of a reaction from her...but she did take off so I'm heading out."

Matt told him, "Look just follow pretty far behind and don't confront her but don't lose her. Hoyt's men will be on her too, so let them handle it if it gets dangerous." Matt had shared everything and Hoyt already had radioed to the two officers in the cruisers set to follow her.

Roy told him, "I'm on it boy." He then left himself and got down to his car on the street just as she was pulling out of the parking garage with the unmarked car behind her.

She kept looking in her rearview mirror and drove straight to her apartment where she picked up two suitcases and took them back out to her car. The unmarked car and Roy were cautious enough that she never noticed them until she got to the airport.

Hoyt and Matt were waiting for her there once it was clear what direction she was heading. The officers had called into Hoyt and the two had taken off at once. Matt said to her as she started to enter the airport, "Going somewhere?"

Hoyt walked up to both of them seeing Det. Warren who came running over to him with a warrant. "Ms. Calemon...I need to inform you that your luggage and your apartment are subject to a search warrant and that you are being ordered by the ruling of Judge Harmago to remain within the city limits until such time as the police can investigate the harassment case of Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson and the murders of Sandra Mays, Margaret Nelson, Carlos Balones, and Trenton Wells."

She started to hyperventilate, "What! Murder? I didn't murder anyone! What are you talking about?" She tried to pull her arm away from Warren as he started to lead her out.

He told her, "Ma'am, my name is Det. Warren and you need to come with me."

He started to lead her out as she kept protesting. However his beeper went off and he had to hand her over to one of the beat cops to get to another serious crime scene.

Hoyt said, "We'll put them in separate tanks and see what they say. I'm thinking you're right and they are in this together. Hopefully it won't take too long to get a confession." He patted Matt on the back, "Job well done." Then he walked off.

Matt rubbed the back of his neck. Even though he thought these were the guilty parties, something still didn't feel right.

C.J. woke up and went back downstairs to get herself another cup of hot tea. She looked in the cabinet but only found an empty box. Then she looked over by the tea kettle and only found the empty wrapper from the cup Uncle Roy had made her. She scratched her head and said softly to herself, "Where did they put it?"

After looking around in vain for another 10 minutes through every cabinet and not finding anything she said to herself again, "Ok this is ridiculous, I'm going down to the boardwalk and just buying some."

She ran back upstairs and changed quickly. Once she came down the stairs again, she noticed the window was open and shut it again while looking around. Something was definitely off here. The first time she thought maybe Matt had opened it and forgotten to shut it, but she didn't really think he would do that twice in a row.

She put a jacket around her and started down the sidewalk. There was a little vendor with gourmet coffees and teas that kept a stand close by and that was her destination. As she approached she heard a scream and someone fall over into the water from the bridge up ahead. It appeared a man in dark clothes on a motorcycle had just knocked a woman over the edge. The person on the motorcycle sped off and had on a helmet so no one could see anything really, or even to make out if it were a man or woman on the bike.

C.J. ran over, adrenaline taking over and leapt into the water to rescue the young woman. She swam to her and noticed she wasn't moving and was face down. She turned her over and putting her arms under the woman's swam her to shore. A crowd had gathered and helped C.J. pull the woman out. As they did, C.J. noticed blood on her jacket from the back of the woman's head.

Before the paramedics had arrived, C.J. realized it was too late to save the woman. Whoever hit her from that bike, did so with a heavy object. She began trying to gather witnesses together and was able to round up a few as Warren approached.

He said as he walked up to her, "Twice in one day, not good." He then bent down and examined the body with gloves on. The victim was a young brunette wearing jogging shorts, a jacket and running shoes. He unzipped the jacket and C.J. gasped as Warren revealed that the woman was wearing a Laci and Blaze Morning Show T shirt.

C.J. ran her hand through her wet hair as she started coughing. She was coughing so hard she almost started to throw up. This all made her throat hurt even more and Warren came over and patted her back.

He asked her, "Are you ok, there?" He kept patting.

She stood up straight as she brought it under control and said, "Yes, I'll be fine. I just can't believe this. Another one..." She kept breathing heavy and coughing periodically.

He asked, "So here's the thing...you being here in the vicinity of two murders does not sit well with me..." He looked at her concerned but also trying to fit some pieces together at the same time.

C.J. told him as she tucked her wet hair behind her ear, "I know, but I don't know how the killer would have known I would be here. I didn't know I'd be on the boardwalk until about 20 minutes ago when I went out to go get some hot tea at the vendor because we were out at home." She took a deep breath as she looked around her for a second and then said, "I wonder if the killer lives somewhere around here? Three of the deaths occurred here."

Warren looked around too, "Yeah, you might be on to something there..." He looked back at her as she sneezed and said, "Bless you...now why don't you let Whatley here walk you to that vendor and then back to the beach house." He then motioned to the coroner's van who was unloading the stretcher, then he turned back to her and said, "I know where to find you if I need you."

She nodded and he called out to Whatley who walked with her. Luckily the vendor took wet credit cards. C.J. had begun to shiver as she got her two cups of hot tea, one for now and one for later. She decided on jasmine and chamomile and the officer helped her carry them both.

When she got back she put one cup in the fridge and the other she took upstairs as she went to get out of her wet clothes. She began feeling miserable and turned on the hot water in the shower. She took one last sip as she got in, completely unaware that Roy Turner was walking slowly up her stairs.

Turner walked quietly in and found C.J.'s cup of tea steaming on the nightstand by the bed. He could hear her in the shower and thought briefly of peeking in thinking she was sick enough that she could be subdued by him but then caught sight of a photo of her and Matt, her rather large husband, smiling somewhere on a beach. He decided to just do what he came there to do. He took her cup and pulled back the lid, then pulled out a small bottle of liquid and poured it in, then replaced the lid. He heard the water shut off and fairly quickly and quietly got out of the room and down the stairs without her noticing. Once outside he began walking with a crowd away from the beach house.

C.J. dried herself off and put on some fresh pajamas. She had a hard time between coughing and sneezing to sit in bed and drink her tea. She only got a few sips down when she started to feel sick at her stomach. She had no idea if it would taste off or not, given the severity of her cold now.

Matt and Hoyt were busy talking to Crazy John Witman. They figured he was the weak link. Hoyt started, "So...you say you don't know how that envelope with the spider got delivered to Mr. Houston here and you don't know anything about the harassment Laci Summers and Blaze Jackson have been receiving lately..." He looked at Matt and then back at Crazy John as he leaned over hard on the table across from him and looked him in the eye and said, "And I suppose you have no idea how those four people died, those four innocent victims, dead, as a result of someone wanting to wreak some vengeance on the couple either!"

Crazy John looked panicked so he started to stutter, "Dead? Victims? Man...I mean...I don't know what you're talking about!"

He started to sweat and ran both hands through his hair. At that point Matt jumped in, "Do you know what you're looking at here, John?" Matt asked with his arms folded, "You are looking at 25 to life, if you're lucky and they don't send you to the chamber...I suggest you start talking, unless you want to take full blame for all this. I have a feeling Ms. Calemon is probably already singing in the next room, blaming you for everything."

He looked up suddenly, "She wouldn't...I didn't...man listen, she just told me to scare them...she was the one canceling stuff...I don't know about any murders." He was almost crying, "I didn't know what to do when she told me to scare you. I caught that spider in my house and figured it was as good a plan as any."

Matt and Hoyt looked at each other and Hoyt said, "Oh come on...John...confess already..."

He pleaded with them again, "I mean it man, I don't know! Look, she came to me...told me that if I helped her scare those two she would make sure I could get a bundle from that stupid station."

Matt asked, "What do you mean? How was she going to help you exactly? Was she planning on giving you a job?"

He looked around and answered, "No, exactly the opposite. I was to file a lawsuit claiming I couldn't get hired anywhere and then the station would have to settle. She said Romanes had already settled so many times before, it probably wouldn't even take that long...I swear man, I didn't kill nobody!"

Since it appeared to the two John here was telling the truth, they decided to go check out how Warren, who had just returned from a call and Roy were doing with Calemon.


	14. Chapter 14

14

"Ms. Calemon..." Warren said as he looked over a file as he entered the room, "seems you've been busy." He approached Uncle Roy who was standing opposite of Calemon sitting at the interrogation table.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know why I'm still here. I've done nothing wrong," she said as she sat there with her arms folded.

Warren and Uncle Roy looked at each other. Warren continued, "Well, we need to clarify a few things. Like why you're prints are on Laci Summer's missing necklace, why you bailed out Nick Peterson, how your wedding planner ended up in Laci Summer's hands, just a few items like that. Don't worry Nick Peterson and John Witman will be helping us..." Her brows shot up as he continued, "as a matter of fact, Mr. Witman is in right now with my superior giving his official statement. You see, this is how it works...whoever talks first, gets the deal with the D.A. and right now you have all of about a minute to start talking or Witman there is going to get everything and you will be left alone to carry the full weight of the crimes, and I can assure you, you don't want to have to face murder charges alone."

"Murder?" she almost shouted in panic, "What do you mean murder? He murdered someone?"

"Oh come on...you know exactly what he did because you told him to do it! How many, huh, how many more accomplices do you have out there?" Warren asked with his voice raised as Uncle Roy looked at him confused.

She started crying and shaking, "I don't know what you're talking about...I never told him to kill anyone, he was only supposed to scare them, that's all. He was supposed to scare them and I would ruin their stupid wedding day, that was it. I don't know about him killing anyone, I swear...I swear..." she broke down bawling.

Warren asked, "What about Nick Peterson...you were setting him up for it, weren't you?"

She cried harder, "Yes, yes, but that was it...no murders...just making it harder for her to take him away from me...that was all I was trying to do."

Warren and Uncle Roy saw they weren't going to get any more out of her right then so they left the room and met up with Hoyt and Matt. Hoyt asked, "Did you get anything?"

Warren answered, "A confession to sabotaging the wedding and telling Witman to scare them and framing Peterson, but nothing that links them to the serial killings. Which might make things much more difficult now." He said as he shook his head.

The other three men looked at each other puzzled and Matt spoke up, "Why would things be more difficult now?"

Warren looked up at them and it dawned on them they had not heard. He took a deep breath and told them, "There's been another murder, this time on the boardwalk by that bridge. A 19 year old girl was jogging when someone on a motorcycle came up behind her and hit her on the head with a heavy object. She fell, dead into the water. She was wearing a Laci and Blaze t-shirt that was given away as a promotion about a week ago."

All three men closed their eyes and Hoyt asked Matt, "So where do you want to start looking now?"

Matt rubbed his neck and said, "I don't know...what time is it?" He was exhausted.

Hoyt looked at his watch and said, "Almost 10...what a day...thought we could close this one out." He patted Matt on the back and told him, "Go home...We'll call if we learn anything more."

Matt and Roy nodded to each other and the two left in their separate cars.

C.J. leaned over the toilet to throw up again. She was feeling worse and worse and nothing she did seemed to help. In fact she had knocked over the tea she bought just trying to get to the bathroom as fast as possible. So much for that nice cup of chamomile tea she bought earlier. She didn't even get to drink a quarter of it and now she was losing what she had drank.

She laid down, holding her stomach and just praying the pain would go away soon and she could get some sleep. She had noticed the sun go down and wondered where Matt was. No one had called and she hoped he would be home soon.

She heard the door open and him make his way to the bedroom. The light was on in the bathroom so he didn't panic right away when he didn't see her in the bed. He decided to peek in and was about to tell her he was home when he saw her on the floor, curled up in a ball.

"C.J., C.J., honey what's the matter?" He asked as he knelt down, not quite sure if he should be helping her up as she was moving to do that or tell her to stay put while he called an ambulance.

She swallowed and reached up to him and said, "I'm sick...very, very sick." She was almost pulling on him as she really couldn't stand under her own steam.

He grabbed her around her waist to help her to a standing position before picking her up and carrying her to bed. He asked her, "Ok, how about I call Carol..." as he put her down and then picked up the phone.

C.J. stopped him, "No, Matt, its nothing really, I'm sure. Just a stomach virus. I just need to go to sleep." Matt looked unsure so she continued, "I really don't think its anything serious...but you should probably sleep in the other room, I'm sure this is really contagious, these always are. I don't want you to get sick."

She could barely keep her eyes open and he climbed in bed irregardless and took her in his arms after getting undressed. Whether or not she would notice, he wasn't sure until he began rubbing her back and arms and felt her relax and drift off.

The rest of the night, neither one got much sleep. About every 30 minutes, C.J. would have to run to the bathroom. Matt would join her and pull her hair back for her, hand her a damp rag and then help her back to bed. At about 5:30 or so she stopped vomiting and slept heavy.

Matt rubbed his eyes and looked over at the alarm clock. It read 8:05am and the sun was up. He looked back over at C.J. who was sleeping peacefully it seemed and put his hand on her forehead. She didn't feel hot really and thought that maybe she was right and all she had was a stomach virus. He kissed the back of her head as he slowly got up and went to shower and change.

After gathering his clothes from the closet and putting them on the bed, he noticed her paper cup on the floor where it looked like tea had been spilt. He picked it up and put it back on the nightstand but as he did, he caught a strange smell. He looked at it as he sat it down and thought to himself, 'Why did she go out to get herbal tea when Uncle Roy bought her half the display at the store?' He thought about that as he took his shower.

After getting dressed and checking on C.J. again, he went downstairs and looked in the cabinet where he put the tea. It was all gone. Now Matt was even more confused. He thought to himself, 'Did Uncle Roy move it all when he made her that cup? And if so, why and where did he put it?' He searched around a few more cabinets but came up empty handed.

He scratched his head and went over to the little window by the phone. For some reason, the window was open. He looked around for a second and then went outside and looked around but saw nothing. Then he came back in and shook his head before going back upstairs.

C.J. had rolled over and as Matt came in the bedroom, her eyes fluttered open. He sat down on the bed as he put his watch on and told her, "Now you just take it easy today and rest...I think the worst of your virus is over but you really need to relax...Are you hungry?"

She shook her head and laid back as she said, "No, not right now. I'll eat later. I'm so tired." She closed her eyes again and Matt tucked the blankets around her. He kissed her forehead and told her, "I'll be back soon. I want to check in with Hoyt and see if they have any new information on our case. It looks like we've wrapped up part of it..." He started to tell her about Calemon and Witman confessing to the harassment when he noticed she had fallen asleep again. He kissed her forehead and quietly picked up the rest of his things and headed out after locking the doors and setting the alarm.

Hoyt and Warren were already in and Matt found them easily enough in Hoyt's office. The men were discussing the case rather loudly. Matt heard Hoyt first, "I know that doesn't make sense! None of this makes sense!"

Both Hoyt and Warren took a deep breath as Matt walked in. He said, "Don't let me stop you two."

They looked at each other and Warren filled Matt in, "We can't find a connection between the harassment and the murders and now...well...now we have another statement from the killer. It was delivered like the first one to Romanes' station." He handed Matt a photocopy of a note left by the killer where he used magazine letters to write like a ransom note.

Matt read the note, _You can't stop me, I'm a killing machine Better tell the kiddos the holiday is over!_ He handed it back, but something about it struck him as familiar.

Warren saw that puzzled look on Matt's face and asked, "What is it?"

Matt took a deep breath, "I don't know. Seems like I've heard this before or at least the tone somewhere, but I don't know where."

Warren then said, "Well I wish you did have an insight or some kind of link. We can only link Calemon and Witman to the harassment, not the serial killings. In fact the only common denominator with the serial killer is C.J."

Matt's brows went up immediately, "What do you mean, the only common denominator is C.J.?"

Hoyt and Matt both looked at Warren who told them, "C.J. found the first victim, she was jogging in the same park our next two victims were found in, she was waiting at an intersection and saw the third killing, and then there was the murder yesterday with the motorcyclist on the boardwalk...C.J. was walking to buy a cup of hot tea or coffee when she saw it happen. She dove into the water and pulled the victim out...Didn't she tell you?"

Matt blinked multiple times, "No, she didn't, she was too sick to do anything last night..." He closed his eyes, "Probably from jumping into the water with strep throat." He shook his head. He said, "I don't like this, I don't like this one bit."

He almost threw open the door and Hoyt hollered out, "You gonna tell us where you're going?"

Matt looked back but kept walking as he said, "Home, I'm not leaving her alone until this guy is caught." He got almost out to his car when it hit him and he whispered, "...a killing machine, no a murder machine..." He then ran back inside.

Hoyt and Warren were both surprised to see Matt coming running back in, "Its Roy Turner, he's the serial killer."

They both looked at him and Hoyt asked, "What? Roy Turner? He was convicted of theft right and lying? Why do you think he's our serial killer?"

Matt answered, "He's been stalking C.J. I know it..." He then explained the whole history behind Roy Turner and C.J. including the initial trial, investigation, and parole hearings. Then he told them, "He sent her flowers when he got out and he's been hanging around the office. Hoyt, he called himself the 'Murder Machine' that time. He's doing it for real this time."

He walked over to the large board with crime scene photos of all the victims but then stopped suddenly and turned back to them, "It all makes sense...his health would make it impossible for him to overpower any of these victims. Look at how they all died...the first one was knocked out before electrocuted. Now he has the strength to pick the woman up but not subdue her, that would be where he would need to use the chloroform. Then the two next victims were poisoned, again, he wouldn't need to overpower anyone. The third one was hit by a car and the last by someone on a motorcycle. Don't you see, he hasn't needed to overpower anyone."

Warren then added, "And it matches his with his previous case, the psychology of it all...Yes, Lt. Hoyt I have been listening to those psychologists...Turner tried to gain fame by riding on the work of someone else, in that case before it was the murder of 4 innocent kids. This time someone was harassing these two DJs and that was made public with the first threat...he probably heard it in prison and then saw that as his opportunity." He then speculated, "He's put C.J. into this though...Houston, how long was C.J. going to those spas before last week?"

Matt answered, "She had been going to them a couple of times a week for a couple of months now, but never the same one twice."

Warren then asked, "She had to make an appointment though, right?" Matt nodded his head and Warren kept going, "It would be easy enough to call around and find out where she was going. She told me she jogs in that park all the time, Turner could have seen her doing that. He also could have followed her in a car that day when he hit that boy...the only thing that is off here is the murder yesterday on the boardwalk...she told me she didn't know she was going out at all until right before it happened when she discovered she was out of tea or coffee or something."

Matt ran his hand through his hair, "The tea...We weren't out of tea, Uncle Roy bought half the store yesterday..." he caught himself. He couldn't find it this morning either and initially when saw the window open he thought, 'well maybe someone stole it, but that would be stupid for someone to break in to steal tea'. However, if someone wanted C.J. to get up and leave, it wasn't stupid.

"He's been in the beach house." He looked at the two men, "He took out all the tea and that meant C.J. would leave if she really wanted it. If he's been watching her as close as I think he has, he would know she'd do that...That means he can get in and right now she's so sick..." as that realization hit him, he ran out again to his car and sped off.

He was speeding to get back and trying to reach her by phone at the same time. She wasn't picking up and that just sent him into greater panic. "Please, C.J., please, pick up the phone and tell me you're alright..."

C.J. slowly stirred as she heard the phone ring. She felt a little better, at least the stomach virus was gone, but her throat had moved way beyond sore now. She reached the phone just as it stopped ringing. Sighing, she drug herself out of bed and went into the bathroom, splashing water on her face. When she looked up, she saw Roy Turner behind her.

"Why hello there pretty thing, how are you feeling this morning?" Turner said as he tried to pin her to the sink.

C.J. wasn't going to panic here, she knew she could take him down if she needed to. She asked him, "What are you doing here...you're trespassing."

He laughed, "Oh I'm going to do more than just trespass..." he reached up to feel her hair and she turned her head away from him. He got angry and said, "This will serve you right for what you did to me. And when I'm done, the media will be all over it. They'll want exclusive interviews, book deals...people will come from all over to get look at the Monster of L.A." He said that as he breathed right into her face.

What C.J.'s body lacked in strength, her mind more than made up for in alertness. She knew his medical condition and hit him in all the right places with two well chosen self defense moves. As she pushed him away from her she ran out of the bathroom, bedroom and down the stairs. But as she hit the bottom, she got dizzy and fell. The next thing she knew Turner was coming down the stairs with a large pocket knife. He told her, "You'll be sorry you did that..."


	15. Chapter 15

15

C.J. had to think fast because her body wasn't able to deploy too many more moves. She felt nauseous and weak so she appealed to his sense of self preservation, "You know when my husband gets here, he's going to..."

Turner walked more slowly down the stairs trying to scare her all the more, "He's going to what? He won't get here in time."

She then told him, "He'll know it was you and he'll come after you." She was trying and did stand up, facing him. "When he gets through with you, there won't be anything left for the news media to talk about."

Turner laughed, "Don't worry about me. I plan to turn myself in right after we get done here. Imagine how many people will know my name because I killed the wife of the founder and vice president of one of the largest companies in this country."

At that point Matt rushed in gun drawn, "I warned you Turner...I warned you to stay away from her."

Turner then threw the knife as hard as he could at C.J. She moved out of the way but it still caught her on the arm. She yelled out and Matt ran to her side, "You're bleeding..."

He started to take his jacket off to put around her arm, but she put her other hand on his chest and said, "Go get him, this is nothing. Go but be careful."

Matt looked at her for a split second and saw that she was ok and wanted him to go catch Turner so he kissed her quickly and ran up the stairs to the patio. He caught a glimpse of him hanging over the edge before dropping down. Matt turned back and ran past C.J. out the door and saw Turner running down the board walk as Matt gave chase.

Sure enough it wasn't long before Turner ran out of breath and had to sit down. Matt picked him and threw him against the outer wall of one of the restaurants on the boardwalk and held him by his throat. He told him, "I warned you to stay away from her, but you just couldn't...so now I'm gonna make sure you never harm anyone else again." He pulled back and punched him hard in the face, picked him back up and was about to deliver another blow when Warren and several officers ran up and pulled Matt back.

"We'll take it from here, Matt, let us handle it." Warren said as he was holding a fighting mad Matt back.

It took a couple of seconds for Matt to calm down. "Fine...then get this lowlife out of here." Matt said as Warren let him go and he made his way back quickly to the beach house.

When he came in the door, he saw C.J. sitting on one of the chairs with two paramedics sitting beside her, one holding a large bandage on her upper arm, the one nicked by the knife. Five police officers were gathering evidence and walking around.

As he approached she started coughing again and he reached out to her and pulled the hair back from her face and tucked her hair back behind her ear. "We caught him. Are you ok? You gonna need stitches?"

She smiled back at him and said, "Yes, they think I should go in and get stitches..." she inhaled sharply and closed her eyes.

Matt kept looking in her eyes and asked, "How much pain are you in?" He then looked at the paramedic and asked, "Can't you give her a local for the pain?"

The paramedic shrugged and told him, "She refused it."

He looked back at her as she tried to explain, "It'll be fine Matt. It doesn't hurt too bad. I just want to go back upstairs to bed." She exhaled and closed her eyes as he felt her forehead again.

He asked the paramedic again, "What's her temperature?"

He answered, "99.1 so she's fine. The adrenaline makes it go up slightly. Once it wears off, she'll probably be pretty tired. At least from what she told us about the strep throat, that should be winding down here in a day or so."

Matt nodded as the paramedic stood up and asked her, "Do you want to ride with us or have someone take you in for stitches?"

She looked at Matt and answered, "I'd rather have my husband take me in." She smiled and him and he smiled back.

He took her by the hand and said softly, "Let's go." He led her out and they got the stitches. That night they talked about the whole case as Matt filled her in on everything.

Drinking her hot tea as they had picked up several boxes at the pharmacy when they picked up her pain medication, she shook her head. "I can't believe he killed all those people...they were so young...I..." she let a tear escape.

Matt brushed the tear away as he held her laying back on the couch under a comforter. "I know...listen, why don't you just relax..." he took the cup out of her hand and put it on the coffee table, "lay back here on me and let me hold your hand." She relaxed quickly as his tactile sensations quickly put her under his spell and she drifted off to sleep. As Matt leaned his own head back he thought back to that time only one year ago when he had done the same thing. Only this time, when she felt better, he was going to take her someplace romantic and spend another weekend wrapped up in each other.

**Two weeks later...**

The throat pain seemed unbearable and the fever...ugh...and on top of all that, being stuck in this bed under a warden that wouldn't so much as let the patient sit up and make a phone call when there was so much work to do, everything was just falling behind. There must be something in the U.S. Constitution protecting people against stuff like this.

Of course the one who would know about that was the warden and she was currently downstairs wrapping up a legal brief after Roy Turner's confession to murder and theft with the break ins at Romanes' radio station.

C.J. walked into the master bedroom at the beach house with a tray containing a bowl of chicken soup and a cup of hot tea.

Matt sat up in bed and coughed for a couple of minutes before saying in a rather stuffed up voice, "So where's my beer?"

She smiled and said, "I brought you jasmine tea." She sat the tray in front of him.

He looked at her and said, "That's not beer."

Kissing his forehead she told him, "I know its not beer...its jasmine tea and it will make you feel better...trust me."

He looked chagrined, "You know, C.J. when you were sick I bought you every kind of herbal tea there was just to make you feel better. Why can't you go out and get me a couple of cases of beer?"

C.J. rolled her eyes and said, "Because tea is good for your throat and beer is not." Then she tilted her head, "I thought Uncle Roy told me he was the one who bought all those varieties the first time."

Matt looked down at his bowl as he started to eat the soup and said, "The soup is good."

She smiled and leaned over and kissed his forehead again but then pulled out the thermometer she bought that day that could check your temperature from your ear.

"What's that?" he asked looked a little puzzled.

She told him, "Its a digital thermometer that reads your temperature from your ear so just hold still."

He brought up his shoulders and moved away slightly, "No, look C.J. my temperature's fine. I getting better every second. I don't need coddlin really. Its the common cold, ok, nothing to worry about. So why don't you let me get out of bed here and get back to work."

C.J. then gave him that look, "Really? Well, why don't I check your temperature and get back to you on that, alright?" He moved again and she was beginning to lose her patience. So she took another approach.

She moved the tray with the soup carefully without saying a word. He was confused and said, "Uh C.J..."

Then she leaned over, running her hands through his hair and speaking in her sexiest voice she told him, "Matt..." she kissed his neck, then whispered in his ear, "I have needs..." she kissed it softly again as she felt his hands go around her waist as she had moved slowly over him, straddling him, "and you can't meet those needs if you're sick..." she kissed him again, but clearly he wasn't really paying attention to the words she was using, just the actions of her lips as his hands started to move slowly down behind her.

She looked back up at him as he swallowed hard and told him with her hands on his checks but still straddling him, "So just obey doctor's orders ok...I miss you, if you know what I mean..." and then she kissed him again. Then she pulled back, got up and gave him his soup again. This time he didn't complain and finished it all.

After, she took the tray away and came back to watch him fall asleep the way he had done for her a year ago he told her, "You know, I'll sleep better with you beside me."

She smiled and laid down in his arms. As he drifted off this time she smiled to herself thinking about how good it felt to take care of him, to do things for him. That soup she made from scratch and she had a whole twelve pack in the fridge of his favorite beer for when he felt better. She had created a whole list of things she wanted to do for him and couldn't wait until his birthday in two months. The plans she had would knock him off his feet. With that last thought, she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.


End file.
